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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980406">Stone &amp; Feather (Which is heavier?)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackal_Cackle/pseuds/Jackal_Cackle'>Jackal_Cackle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Animal Death, Animal Traits, Because of Reasons, Blood and Injury, But only a bit, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Eren is older than in the anime, Feral Behavior, Feral Eren Yeager, Grisha Yeager Being an Asshole, Levi is also aged down a bit, M/M, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Illness, Self-Harm, Terminal Illnesses, Titans, Winged Carla Yeager, Winged Eren Yeager, Wingfic, lore changes, no beta we die like squad levi, sorry carla</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:46:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackal_Cackle/pseuds/Jackal_Cackle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Eren was born beyond the Stone’s reach, its tall ridges were a rare sight in his early years. His mother rarely spoke of it and she forbade him from going anywhere near it. She said she raised him in the ways of the forest, not civilization.  </p>
  <p>She didn’t mention the culture often, usually only pointing out the foolishness of the Stone-people. She explained that she didn’t always live in the forest. One day, she left her nest, constructed of careful weaving and levied in one of the tallest trees there. She fell in love with a man of the Stone, she said he was human, not Avian like they were. He had no wings. He was appalled at that, not having wings?</p>
</blockquote>Raised in the western forest, Eren hunts and protects the creatures alongside his mother. They fly free and unhindered by the ideas that chained the Stone-people to their Stone. The titans are but a pest to them, nothing of note or worry. That is until the Stone-people venture into their corner of the world, bringing change and curiosity into their home. Eren's eyes are caught by the strange alpha-trio, especially the one the one with silver eyes.<p>Then the Stone is threatened and Eren finds himself inexplicably tangled in it all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Levi/Eren Yeager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>387</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Nestling Years</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This has been brewing on my computer for far too long. It was splintered into several works and it took me a long afternoon to braid it all together into one. Some ideas are a bit choppy and I'm sure my tenses fluctuate quite a bit. Sorry about that, this is the first fic I've published in years but I figured I have so many drafts lying around, they can become <i>something</i>.<br/>Anyways, the pair's ages are kind of vague through it all so its not really necessary to mention exact ages but Eren's a bit older and Levi's a bit younger. Eren and Levi won't really have any sort of shipping until Eren is older.<br/>Updates might be a bit slow but I'm writing out what I can ahead of time. Once I get in the swing of things, I'll be able to write chapters faster.</p><p>Eren and Carla speaking German: <i> "Careful, hatchling."</i><br/>Animal-speak: <i><b> Of course, Guardian-Childe.</b></i><br/>Stone-Dialect/Wall-speak: "What do you mean?"<br/>Eren's Thoughts: <i>That means death for you and me.</i></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the western forest, many apex predators prowled the dark corners. Both predator and prey thrived in the forest’s clutches. Wolves owned the land, keeping to high-faced cliffs, hidden groves, and conspicuous ridges. The snakes ruled the underground, chasing rabbits and mice, taking old burrows for their own. The birds ruled the treetops, feasting on high-flying insects that also took haven there, they ate seeds and fruits from the bountiful trees.  </p><p>Prey such as deer adapted to have the speed necessary to dodge clumsy titan feet and curious reaching hands. However, few titans existed in the forest now, most kept out or eradicated by the Guardian.  </p><p>She watched from the boughs of the trees with sharp eyes, sharp claws, and an even sharper sword. The last of her kind in the forest, a human-like creature outsmarted and cared for them all. Unlike the humans, her hair was mixed with bird feathers and her blunt human canines had been exchanged for a sharper, more practical pair. Long, sharp talons replaced the nails on her hands and feet.  </p><p>Large six-meter wings settled on her back, each wing being nine and a half feet long. The feathers shifted from mottled brown to a light, barred white. For a long time, she was the only one. Each and every animal welcomed her presence.  </p><p>Wolves allowed her in their dens and to let her touch their pups. Snakes delivered her gifts of precious gems. Birds flew with her and shared their fruits. Deer would let her pet them or help them when wounded.  </p><p>Then, she was flanked by a shadow. This one smaller but smelled the same. It had bright eyes and short wings. The Guardian became a little more reclusive for several springs as the child sprung up like a weed.  </p><p>—————— </p><p>The wolf raised her head and howled, calling her pack mates, she had found tracks of a deer herd. When she lowered her head to sniff the ground again, she missed the shadow that loomed over her, excusing it for a bird.  </p><p>She snorted as dirt went up her nose, before following the tracks a little further into the shrubs, the scent was curious. It smelt of dead deer rather than the warm, tasty scent of deer’s venison.  </p><p>She heard rustling in the bushes and gave a coarse bark, alerting nearby wolves. Unlike her similar kind she expected to greet her, something lunged from the undergrowth with a snarl. </p><p>She yelled in surprise as she was sent tumbling and something dug into her, pain rippling her side before she blacked out. A trill and then the creature stood up, his kill made, a deer’s leg bone in one hand. </p><p>Cracklings of branches made him crouch down and heft up the limp wolf. Before putting his wings to work and raising him into the canopy and to his high branched nest. Noises continued below him but the pack would be fine, its numbers were plentiful and the Alpha couple were expecting pups to arrive in the thawing of Winter.   </p><p>He thanked the wolf for all it would provide them before lifting his hunting blade. He made sure it was dead before skinning it and taking all the meat he needed off of it, before picking up its remains and placing them back on the ground.  </p><p>With any luck, animals that needed the food would take it or it would return back to the soil. He didn’t waste time to place it any further than clearing away and went back to his roost. He ate some of the meat he had taken off of it, not bothering to cook it, his stomach would handle it just as a wolf's would.</p><p>He licked his hands clean, before cleaning his face like the squirrels that shared his domain. He wouldn’t need to hunt for a couple of days, and curled up in the gathering of grass, cloth and moss that was his bed. Mother wasn’t around at the moment, so he had left her portion nearby the fire pit, carefully wrapped and put there with a ruby he had gotten from his favorite snake grotto.  </p><p>There was a nice breeze today, rustling the leaves above him and giving him glances of the sky. Soon, his eyes slid shut bringing dreams with them.  </p><p>—————— </p><p>Eren was born beyond the Stone’s reach, its tall ridges were a rare sight in his early years. His mother rarely spoke of it and she forbade him from going anywhere near it. She said she raised him in the ways of the forest, not civilization.  </p><p>She didn’t mention the culture often, usually only pointing out the foolishness of the Stone-people. She explained that she didn’t always live in the forest. One day, she left her nest, constructed of careful weaving and levied in one of the tallest trees there. She fell in love with a man of the Stone, she said he was human, not Avian like they were. He had no wings. He was appalled at that, not having wings? He couldn’t imagine something more <em> terrifying</em>. They were as essential as his arms, for Seasons’ sake! </p><p>His mother laughed, explaining that humans didn’t need wings as they did. Instead, they constructed the formidable Stone, rings of barriers against the Titans. </p><p><em> “</em><em>But, </em> <em> they’re trapped? Like a rabbit encircled by a snake!” </em>He’d balked, she gave a solemn smile. </p><p><em> “That is how they chose to live.” </em> </p><p>She fled the Stone after two cycles-- <em> years </em> of living there, when her mate, his father, injected her with something. She said it did nothing but it tarnished their trust and she left. She chose to birth him beyond the Stone despite owning a house in a different part of the Stone. She wanted him to get the head start she had.  </p><p>She explained that as Avians, they were born of a species and temperament. Carla herself was a Great Horned Owl, and she suspected that he too would be a bird of prey. They wouldn’t know what species until he turned twelve, but they had a general idea. She had taken an “encyclopedia”, she had laughed something fierce when she saw his face as he tried to read it. It was full of beautifully colored birds and nearly as thick as a fox’s tail.</p><p>As they looked at each wing-type, they found that unlike her round, silent-attuned wings, his were longer and more angular. However, they were still built for striking.  As a nestling, his feathers ranged from dark browns to an unusual viridian, matching his eyes. It was a toss-up if his wings would molt into their current coloring or into his actual specie colors. His mother found his obsession with checking his wings’ colors adorable and taught him about plant dyes. He could use them to decorate his wings for battle, or for Spring. At the time, he had gagged and declared he would never want a mate, especially if they didn’t have wings.  </p><p>She had smiled once more, patting him on the head.  </p><p>“You do not have to have one, <em> Vögelchen</em><em>,</em>" She said, although in Stone-dialect, her smile widened as his feathers puffed up in indignation at his nickname.  </p><p>“<em>Why did they trap themselves? </em>” He asked again, remaining in their native language. She sighed and grabbed her sword; it had a black hilt and a long blade. Two white feathers bound in twine wrapped the handle.  </p><p>“They make weapons, like this, they carry them in <em> zwei</em>,” She grimaced. “<em>Blades like these kill the titans by cutting through the nape.” </em> </p><p>She pointed to her own, making a line across, he blinked. </p><p>“<em>Why do they kill the titans?” </em>His mother’s face twisted in indecision but relented. </p><p>“<em>They eat humans, that is why our nest is up high and the humans hide in the Stone.” </em> </p><p>He soaked in all she said, anger burning in his gut at the clumsy and monstrous creatures. He committed it all to memory and pushed it into the back of his mind.  </p><p>His twelfth birthday arrived and the change was immediate. His fluffy down was shoved away by his growing flight feathers and he was all the happier for it. Sure, for a while, he was itchy but he didn’t care. Soon, he would be able to <em> fly.  </em> </p><p>As the feathers grew in, his mother created a harness. It wrapped around her middle and shoulders, carefully away from her wings’ flight range. It had another set of straps attached for him, securing him in at the same points. She would fly, allowing him to stretch his wings and build his strength to keep his posture straight in the air. This way, she taught him how to detect wind currents and thermals.  </p><p>Finally, when his feathers’ dark brown and viridian gave way to more complex coloring, his mother announced his species.  He turned out to be a Golden Eagle, much to his glee and his mother’s contentment. Her son was just as much a hunter as she. She warned him that feathers could fall out just before Spring, changing back to his green-blue hues to attract a mate. (She teased him endlessly when he refused to believe he would ever have a mate because, “<em>that’s gross!”) </em> </p><p>One Summer morning, his mother brought him to the edge of the nest, saying that there was something down there. He looked over, finding nothing but the green foliage of the forest, when he turned to look at her, she grinned and shoved him out of the nest. He’d shrieked and pinwheeled as she dove alongside him. </p><p>“<em>Fly, my little bird, fly,</em>" She said in encouragement as he plummeted towards the earth. As he fell, other birds flew besides his mother, smaller birds fell with him. They all chirped in a panic as their parents looked on.  </p><p>Some threw open their wings to glide safely, others flapped until they started going forward, and some kept falling. Those that kept falling were caught safely by their parents and flown back into the sky to start the process again. Eren tore his eyes and realized he was a only several meters up. His eyes clenched shut as he braced for the impact.  </p><p>Something screamed in his head and his wings threw themselves open. The feathers, as they brushed the air, made his eyes snap open and his mind was utterly blank as he flapped. The wind created by his flapping buffered the other birds and gave them momentum to climb higher. He followed before joy and euphoria flooded him.  </p><p>"<em>I can fly!” </em>He whooped as he rose towards his mother who extended a hand with a tearful smile.  </p><p>“<em>Yes, you can,” </em> She managed to rasp. “<em>My little hatchling’s growing up.” </em> </p><p>They went back to the nest and hugged, celebrating with a warm meal.  </p><p>—————— </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>didja like it? Let me know in the comments below.<br/>It's a bit nerve-wracking to post something again if I'm honest. Especially one that will be a bit lengthy. I told myself I would start with a couple-chapter fic but that's been thrown out of the window.<br/>But I genuinely love this idea too much to let my muse fade.</p><p>Next chapter will be up soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Strangers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A bit short :c but the next chapter will be longer. </p>
<p>Eren and Carla speaking German: <i> "Careful, hatchling."</i><br/>Animal-speak: <i><b> Of course, Guardian-Childe.</b></i><br/>Stone-Dialect/Wall-speak: "What do you mean?"<br/>Eren's Thoughts: <i>That means death for you and me.</i></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eren jerked awake as a high shrieking call echoed through the woods. He panicked but knew it wasn’t his mother that made that sound. It was Merna, a barn owl that lived in a high hollow on the eastern forest border. His mother, her call distinctly different, answered in a high shriek. A quick acknowledgment and warning to all of the forest to be on alert. He readied to fly but his mother appeared from the woods, landing in the nest and ducking low as she grabbed her sword.  </p>
<p>Her wings arched above her.  </p>
<p>“<em>Mother?” </em>  </p>
<p>“<em>Quiet!” </em>She hissed at him. </p>
<p>He ducked besides her, wings curling against his back in fear. He could hear something strange. Something like the sound of when his mother accidentally knocked her blade against the trees’ bark. The sound of metal digging into wood and his mother took off into the canopy.  </p>
<p>“<em>Stay here,” </em> She ordered and then disappeared. He crept to the edge of the nest, glancing down cautiously. He heard more curious sounds but he didn’t dare to lay his eyes on them as he stepped away from the edge. His mother would have his <em> skin </em> if he exposed himself. Shouts, neighs, and crunches sounded but eventually faded towards the Stone. His mother didn’t return for several days, and he didn’t leave the nest until she returned, much to her relief. He embraced her once she landed before rearing back at the unusual scent on her. </p>
<p>“<em>You stink!” </em> He barked and he realized she was wearing different clothing. She had a <em> thing </em> on her back, too. She smelled of <em> strangestrangestrange</em><em>.  </em> </p>
<p>“<em>Hush, little bird,” </em> She said as she took off the back-thing and set it on the ground, opening it.  </p>
<p>“<em>W</em><em>hat is that?” </em> </p>
<p><em> “It's called a knapsack,” </em> His mother replied as she removed more clothing and trinkets. She held a blood-red length of cloth to him. He blinked at it in curiosity. “<em>That is a scarf.” </em> </p>
<p>She stood up and took the length back before wrapping it around his neck and atop his shoulder. His fingers reached up to brush it.  </p>
<p>“<em>It's so soft and warm," </em>He hummed as he rubbed it between his fingers.  </p>
<p>Besides that, she brought him a cloak, a new pair of ‘trousers’, and a couple new long-sleeve shirt that all resembled each other pretty closely.   </p>
<p>“I went to the Stone,” She said. “<em>To get all of this for us. Those people will come back again so we must be cautious. Spread the word.” </em> </p>
<p>He nodded sharply and took off into the air, his wings carrying him true to the ground. He let loose his own far-reaching call, resulting in replying howls, hisses, barks, and chirps. Some of each animal arrived in the clearing, curious despite being in such close quarters with their natural enemies and predators.  </p>
<p>“<b><em>Humans will come again, be on-guard,” </em> </b> He told them to their understanding and displeasure. <b> <em> "Spread the word, keep your families safe.” </em> </b> </p>
<p>A chorus of agreements, <b> <em> We will follow your word, Guardian-Childe. </em> </b>  </p>
<p>He returned to their nest, trepidation in his heart. His mother sighed and rubbed at her temples, worry and uncertainty knitting her brow. He hoped the Stone-people would never come to their reaches ever again and yet... he still wanted to see them.  </p>
<p>A couple Seasons past and his mother left to the Stone again, leaving with a high shriek that announced her departure replied to by various animals once more. The Stone-people came again, before his mother returned, and he was left to raise the alarm. Scents of fire, of sweat, of blood, carried on the wind, pulling at his curiosity violently. He restrained himself, keeping to his nest despite them being just north of him.  </p>
<p>He could hear voices, three voices that he distinctly remembered from their previous visit. He bit his lip, his sharp teeth pressing warningly against the flesh. Then, he could hear the yelping of a pup. His heart leaped as it cried, a clear cry for its mother and pack. He leapt from the nest, flapping as quietly and quickly as he could.  </p>
<p>His eyes peered through the dark that had fallen over the woods as shouts from the Stone-people sounded. Suddenly, he could see the light cast by the fire in the clearing. Shadows danced in the tree branches and upon the floor.  </p>
<p><em> Foolish, </em> he rumbled, <em> the ground is death. </em> </p>
<p>Voices clamored and the yelping of the pup rose in volume. He slammed into a nearby tree trunk, digging his talons into it to peer around the side. The three voices rose up again but now he could <em> see </em> who was speaking.  </p>
<p>The one that sounded female who constantly shouted had the messiest hair he’d ever seen (and he lives in the wild, so that’s saying something). The deep, calm voice belonged to a man with interesting eyebrows and blonde, partially shaved, hair. The last matched his low, dead-pan voice, he had black hair that folded down the sides of his face, sometimes obscuring stormy, gray eyes. He was the only one that really scared Eren.  </p>
<p>Due to being so much closer, he could catch a menagerie of scents including the pup’s scent of fear. Wild-Hair smelled of something bitter and minty, Heavy-brows smelled of something akin to the inner tree bark, and Silver-eye smelled of crisp lemons. However, they all carried a faint smell of blood. He crept onto the nearby branch, preparing his nerves to pounce.  </p>
<p>His hand brushed something strange and he flinched away before blinking down. One of the green cloaks lay spread on the branch. He brushed it again, it felt similar to his scarf. There was nothing wrong with it, so why was it just sat there? Emblazoned on it, strangely, were wings. He was utterly fascinated by the pattern and snatched it up. He rolled it as tightly as he could and tucked it away.  </p>
<p>He braced against the branch; his legs tensed as he readied to lunge. His wings rose, feathers spreading.  </p>
<p>Wild-hair gently took the pup into her hands before cooing into its face, much to the pup’s sudden delight. He shook his head, focusing, he needed to return the pup to its home. He looked at it, trying to recognize it. It was pale, almost white. He thought hard but the last white-coated alpha pair had just passed, he blinked in realization, this pup was orphaned. It had a surrogate mother in one of the packs.  </p>
<p>Would it be so wrong to let the pup go with them? It could have a potentially different life. <em> No, </em> he hissed at himself. <em> It belongs here, where its parents lie.  </em> </p>
<p>And yet, the pup was enjoying the company of the Stone-people. He stood up, tucking his wings beneath his own gray cloak, he pulled his hood up with caution. He huffed a breath before realizing Silver-eye was gone. Eren ducked around the trunk, making to jump off the branch before a voice broke the silence around him.  </p>
<p>“Oi!” The lemon scent mixed with the sharp tone made him flinch stiff, fear and adrenaline filling his body. “Where’s your gear?” </p>
<p>Silver-eye had seen him. He stood there, brows drawn downwards. The Stone-dialect knowledge was still very basic and while he understood <em> most </em> of the sentence, “your” and “gear” were complete <em> gibberish. </em> He panicked and tried to figure out what ‘r’ at the end of “you” meant. Was it a way of describing himself? Or the other? Perhaps someone else? Gray eyes narrowed.  </p>
<p>In his panic, he jerked his head to the right and the man’s own head snapped in that direction. When Silver-eye glanced back, acidic words on his tongue, Eren had fled into the canopy.  </p>
<p>The whirring of metal hooks sounded and he couldn’t help but chirp nervously, hiding as high as he could. Silver-eye went a bit too far in search of him and he made his true escape.  </p>
<p>That was way too close.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Migration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A very procrastinated chapter but it has finally arrived!<br/>I mostly went MIA because I had to tackle some really difficult decisions for this fic. Mostly, it's ending. As you know, both the manga and the anime (the latter being what this fic is based off of) have essentially entered their final stages. That left me with a conundrum, did I want to tell the story exactly but with Winged!Eren thrown in? Not really, if I did that, you could just go watch the anime or read the manga and imagine Eren with wings. So, then I was faced with did I want to just do massive time-jumps? Did I want to change the base lore completely? Did I want to do half-half and leave it open-ended?</p><p>Massive time-jumps just weren't satisfying enough, neither was an open-ending. I like to have my stories wrapped in a little red bow, maybe with some possibilities left there but not the story in its entire epilogue. However, I had to also face the fact that I don't trust myself to be consistent enough to follow the series' basic events to the very end. I found going the AU-route was the best, though and so a lot of things are to change and thusly, the tags have been updated as of this chapter's upload. Though, my idea might change slightly so beware of that.</p><p><b> Spoilers for the changes I will be making, if you do not wish to know, you can skip to the next bold bit! But be fore-warned, a lot of Titan-lore changes are coming.</b><br/>Titans are caused by an artifact that once belonged to Eren's race, more on that will be in the story to come. Important thing to know: It requires energy in exchange to make titans, so they can’t just factory-line a billion into existence.<br/>Titan-shifters still exist! They possess said artifact but it can only give six people the ability at a time, the ability cannot be removed from the previous owner unless they are dead; their form will automatically return to the artifact. This is still given to other people through injection. That means that yes! Eren still has to deal with being a titan-shifter, poor guy.</p><p><b>Spoilers for the fic over</b><br/>All that said, there are other changes I'll be making to pacing and such (going to put more emphasis on the time with the Corps) but otherwise, that's about the heavy-heavy stuff! I plan to wrap up this fic in 15 to 25 chapters but we shall see! Hope you'll still enjoy what you're reading and I'll get another chapter up soon enough.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stress of it made his stomach turn and he returned to the nest, fingers tugging at his feathers in worry. He could make out the shape of his mother on the horizon and guilt pulled at him. He pulled out the cloak and brushed his clawed thumb over it. He glanced between it and his mother, before hurriedly tucking it into his bed. His mother landed at that moment, drawing in her wings, she smiled.  </p><p>He summoned a smile but it felt tight on his face.  </p><p>“Mother!” He greeted a little too quickly. She glanced at him in suspicion before her nose twitched. He could see the moment she detected the scent of Stone-people.  </p><p>"<em>They are here?!” </em>She asked sharply and he flinched as she took in a more audible sniff. His heart jumped as she prowled straight past him, sniffing and looking for a moment before she gave a low growl and pulled the cloak from its hiding place without struggle.</p><p>“<em>Eren.” </em> His mother’s tone was dark. His wings tucked around his shoulders as he ducked his head in guilt. “<em>Where did you get </em>this.” </p><p>He swallowed dryly as his mother turned, the cloak gripped in her fingers and her expression thunderous. He wilted under her gaze further.</p><p>“<em>I-I found it,” </em>He said, a half-lie and a half-truth, voice light and tentatively innocent.</p><p>“<em>Found it?” </em> </p><p><em> “Yes...?”  </em>He tried to smile, hands open before him in some attempt at convincing her.</p><p>His mother dropped the cloak back onto his bed and he almost chirred with relief until she rumbled low in her chest.  </p><p>“<em>You didn’t follow what I told you, Eren </em> ,” Her voice deathly flat and he straightened up, ready to argue but she continued. “Y<em>ou disobeyed me. You went to see the Stone-people--</em>” </p><p>“<em>No</em><em>! I didn’t!</em>” He barked even as her wings spread behind her, he felt so guilty and yet, so angry that the lie passed through his lips without hesitation. </p><p>“<em>Don’t come back until you realize your mistake. </em>” </p><p>"<em>What do--</em>” Her wings flung forward; feathers splayed out like clawed fingers. It frightened him and sent him scrambling out of the nest. She let out a low timbering, a noise akin to a tree creaking. It was one of the most foreboding sounds he had ever heard and he threw himself in the opposite direction with a instinctive high-pitched cry, a noise he hadn't made since being a nestling. It was a call for help from a flockmate, but his mother didn't falter as his wings carried him away.  </p><p>He flew straight to the snake glen, sniffling as he landed. He landed on a rock, the warm surface unnoticed as he dropped down and wrapped his arms and wings around himself. He tucked his knees under his chin and blinked at his feathers, trying to dismiss the tears that were gathering. He refused to cry!  </p><p>“<b><em>Guardian-childe? </em> </b> " A snake greeted, slithering up to him. It was somewhat small and green with amber eyes. “<b><em>Are you okay?”</em></b> </p><p>He wiped his nose and tried to wipe his eyes, embarrassment making his cheeks red. Snakes gossiped and he was sure that it would get out that the Guardian-Childe, their apparent protector in the absence of his mother, was <em>crying.</em> They would treat him like he was weak.</p><p>“<b><em>I’m fine</em></b>,” He replied, though he was still upset and his voice was creaky. The snake seemed to make a face as it flicked its tongue out.  </p><p>“<b><em>You’re crying, hatchling. Where is Guardian-Mother?</em></b>" Eren purposefully looked off to the side of the glen, a forced wrinkle to his nose.</p><p>“<b><em>At the nest,</em></b>" He grumbled, brows furrowed. “<em><strong>And </strong></em><b><em>I’m not a hatchling, I’m a fledgling now! I can hunt and fly just fine by myself.</em></b>" </p><p>“<b><em>Strong hunter, yes, strong flier, true,</em></b>" The snake agreed. “<em><strong>But st</strong></em><b><em>ill naïve, still too trusting, too brash and incautious. All the Forest knows of your adventures. </em> </b>" </p><p>“<b><em>I’m careful!</em></b>" He bit out; wings puffed up with irritation. What was with every creature he knew wanting to control him? He was careful and he was strong enough to take care of himself! He didn’t need anyone else, not now, and not ever! “<b><em>They didn’t learn my secret!</em></b><em>”</em></p><p>“<b><em>Ah, but they almost did, Childe.</em></b>" Eren scowled, he opened his mouth the argue but the snake continued on. Frustration flared in his chest at not being able to get a word in edge-wise. “<em><strong>The way the foxes tell it, y</strong></em><b><em>ou were seen, nearly caught, and left a long-feather behind.</em></b>" </p><p>Eren felt like all his breath had been stolen from him. His jaw went slack and his heart almost stopped. He left a feather behind? Unbidden, his eyes fell to his wings even though he knew he wouldn't be able to spot the missing primary, if it fell from simple flight, it was already loose and ready for molt.</p><p>Suddenly, he realized why his mother was so angry, so scared. There were old tales still among the Stone-people, of long, unexplained feathers, ones from his kind of course. When they were found, they were coveted and sparked searches. According to past along tales, it had ended in flocks dead; it was why he and his mother might just be the last ones left. Guilt filled his heart as well as fear. Now, recalling his mother's face, he could see the terror hidden beneath the rage.</p><p>“<b><em>You see the err of your words, Childe</em></b>,” The snake hummed, seeming satisfied. “<b><em>Seems there is hope for you yet. Remember, one day, likely after my own death, </em> </b> <em> you </em> <b> <em> will be our protector, our Guardian-Brother. </em> </b>" </p><p>The snake slithered closer and deposited a bright green stone before him. He took it, hands shaking. </p><p>“<b><em>You were lucky this time, fledgling</em></b>,” The snake said after a moment of quiet. "<b><em>Go home, speak with Guardian-Mother. May your sky be bright. </em> </b>" </p><p>Then the snake slithered away without a glance back. In a couple heartbeats, it had disappeared into the grasses, leaving Eren alone with his thoughts. They wound around his mind, digging into the crevices of guilt and dragging it out to light with all the speed of creeping vines. He stared at the stone for a moment longer, then he rose to his feet with less grace than usual. He needed to return to the nest.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>His mother didn’t speak to him nor look at him when he came back. His fingers worked over the green gem in his hands. His wings curled behind him as he chirped in request for acknowledgement. Her eyes slid to his and he averted them.  </p><p>“<em>I’m sorry for going down to the forest floor to see the Stone-people, </em> ” He mumbled, hands wringing. “<em>I should have listened to you. I... I left a feather behind and I-I put you in danger. </em>” </p><p>He then tottered forward, each step unsure as his wings stayed tense and ready to flee. His mother just sighed and gave a weary smile as she accepted the green stone. She pressed a kiss to his forehead. </p><p>“<em>You’re forgiven, little bird,</em>” She said as she loosed another sigh. “<em>I knew your stubborn nature would get the best of you eventually. We must remain careful and vigilant; the feather will lose popularity soon enough.</em>” </p><p>He only nodded, giving a tentative glance upwards. Her face was pensive and he shirked under the gaze, nervous. She took in a deep breath before she spoke again.</p><p>“<em>We will go to Shinganshina, together, while this settles down,</em>” His mother said. Eren’s face lit up like a firefly before shuttering with uncertainty and then once more glowing with anticipation.  </p><p>“<em>Really?</em>” He asked, almost afraid of the answer. </p><p>“<em>Yes, </em>” She replied, calm before pressing two hands onto his shoulders. “<em>You need to be sure that you can handle it</em>.” </p><p>“<em>I can do it, mom!</em>” He crowed in protest, eager.  </p><p>“<em>That means </em> <b> <em> no </em> </b> <em> flying, </em> <b> <em> no </em> </b> <em> wings,</em>” She said sharply, putting a little more pressure on him. “<em>We mustn't let the Stone-people see what we are, if we ever do, we can <strong>never</strong> return.</em>” </p><p>“I can do it, mom! I can!” He promised, a hand clutching one of hers as he stuttered Stone-Dialect. She still seemed nervous, but even her trepidation bent beneath the weight of Eren's innocent excitement.   </p><p>When they packed up what they needed, they shared a last wild-caught meal. As they took flight, his mother let out her signature cry of departure, followed by Eren’s own. The forest echoed them as they flew, along with calls of good fortune and best wishes. His mother’s wings didn’t falter in their motions, and he did his best to mimic her. The moment he saw the plains though, his wings missed a beat. A long expanse of <em> green </em> grass that if he stood in it, would surely brush his hips, if not his chest! Wonder filled him, how could anything live down there? It was so out in the open!</p><p>The Stone was farther than Eren thought but once he saw it, he <em> knew </em> it. It was tall, nearly as tall as the forest trees— <em> nearly </em>. Its top was flat and the color of a boulder. By the time they were almost above it, night had fallen. The whole flight, it had only grown bigger and bigger and bigger. </p><p>“<em>Dive,” </em> His mother ordered and angled towards the top of the wall. His mother twisted at the last moment, silent wings carrying her over the flat ridge, not a feather daring to touch its top. Eren followed suit, a finger reaching to touch it before withdrawing as he recalled his mother’s late-night warning, (“<em>Never touch the Stone, it lures even the bravest to hid</em><em>e </em><em>behind it."</em>) And even as the wonder of it put stars in his eyes, he couldn’t help the feeling of being trapped. He followed his mother down into the strange structures. She folder her massive wings in and pulled her cloak around herself; he copied her, wincing as his wings complained. He had never pulled them so tight to his back... it wasn't exactly painful so much as foreign. </p><p>“You’ll get used to it,” She said, an empathetic smile on her face. He looked at her in awe, she almost looked like one of the Stone-people—wingless! </p><p>He looked around at the strange structures around him. They were all very square and foreign to him, looking like tree stumps that had been shaved flat on all sides. She led him to a cozy one and put a strange thing into a tall plank of wood. </p><p>“<em>What is that </em>?” Eren whispered. </p><p>“It's a ‘key’ and it ‘unlocks’ the ‘door’,” She said, making motions to each thing. With a soft click, the <em> door </em> swung open. She ushered him in and shut it behind herself. They set down what meager belongings they brought along before Eren began exploring <em> everything</em>, he touched, tasted, sniffed, and looked at everything he could. There were some things he recalled, <em> table</em>, <em> bed</em>, <em> seat</em>, <em> stove. </em> Other things were new to him, like the <em> cabinets</em>, <em> window</em>, <em> curtains</em>, <em> counters</em>, and <em> couch</em>. Many strange c-named things that puzzled him with their purpose, texture, and <em> hinges</em>.  </p><p>His mother was patient, answering his questions as she cleaned up some things and moved them around. <em> Dishes</em>, she had called them. </p><p>She explained that this was the home that she and his father had lived together in but her voice was curt and she offered very little detail. She brought out a strange contraption, looking similar to those black-vines that the Stone-people wore.  </p><p>“It's a wing harness,” She said, motioning for him to take off his shirt and turn around. She laid the <em> straps </em> over his shoulders and carefully arranged his wings and feathers. With a small <em> click </em> she fastened a strap across the top of his chest. “It will train your wings to fold in.” </p><p>He tried to move his wings but they only gave a feeble twitch, again, it wasn’t uncomfortable, just a bit strange, though perhaps a little more comfortable than consciously tucking them in. He took a step forward and almost tipped backwards, his mother steadied him as he tried to rebalance himself. </p><p>“What about my feathers?” He asked, worried about them being bent up. He caught his reflection in a <em>mirror</em> hung up, he blinked at himself, he looked so... normal?</p><p>“The straps are forgiving,” She said, voice tight. “It was... specially designed for us--for our kind.” </p><p>He nodded his head and held his tongue for his mother's sake, despite the curiosity that continued to burn. She led him to a separate <em> room</em>, with a strange bed and <em> window</em>.  </p><p>“Get some rest,” She urged and he was glad to lay down. The bed was a little strange and different to the one he had in the nest, almost too soft and mushy. “Goodnight, Eren.” </p><p>“Goodnight, mom,” He returned in kind, settling down. She cast him a last smile before turning away and blowing out the candle, casting the hall in dark for a few moments before his eyes adjusted. He let his eyes slip shut as the emotional and physical fatigue of the day washed over him. Tomorrow would surely have more wonders in store for him.</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>He awoke with the sun as usual, leaping from bed and then stopping short as he stumbled and almost fell. He frowned and flexed his wings. Right, wing harness. He shook himself off and continued down the hall, chirping a greeting to his mother who, too, was already awake. </p><p>“Now, before you rush off for the day,” She said as she placed a bowl on the table before him. “There are rules you must follow.”</p><p>He frowned in confusion, “No flying, no showing wings, no talk about forest outside of Stone, right?”</p><p>His mother sighed, sitting down with her own bowl. “Almost. The Stone is called the Walls, okay?”</p><p>”Got it!” He had this!</p><p>After eating his morning meal, he was out the door before long, dressed in a clean shirt and trousers. He had stared in wonder at how well the wing harness hid his extra set of limbs, though, his mother had explained that their wings also did part of the work. She had no idea how but they compressed themselves with enough training. Eren didn’t pay all that much attention to it, more excited to get going. His mother explained she would be staying home in case he grew overwhelmed and needed help. He nodded to everything she asked and then undertook his adventure. The streets were quiet with only a few passerby, being so early and people having their own things to do. As he moved closer to the town center, admiring the <em>houses</em> and walkways, people grew more common until he came upon a bustling square. He edged around it, hair rising in discomfort at being so crowded in. There were so many of them! And they all looked so different! Their voices varied like the songs of birds and he hurried to get distance between him and the hub of activity.</p><p>As he walked closer to a field, he spotted a group of children, perhaps a couple years younger than him. They were all crowded around a low brick wall, three larger kids closing in around a smaller one. To Eren’s curiosity, the smaller one had a bright shock of yellow for hair, he wandered closer, realizing the children were yelling.</p><p>”Give it back!” The small boy shouted, brilliant blue eyes glistening with frustrated tears. </p><p>“Or what? Gonna call your grandpa?” One of the larger ones goaded, a <em>book</em> clutched in a meaty fist. The yellow-haired boy—Sunheart—couldn’t say anything more, either too upset or agitated to make sounds despite his mouth trying to form them. Eren was struck with the image of larger wolf pups picking on a smaller one, stealing its food and damning it to grow even weaker. His lips pulled in a snarl—bullies.</p><p>He marched straight towards the group.</p><p>“Ew, I think he’s gonna cry,” Another boy snickered. </p><p>“Hey!” Eren snapped, coming within a few meters of them. “Give it back.”</p><p>The boy with the book in his hand frowned for a moment. “Who in the Walls are you? Clear off or you’ll get hurt too.”</p><p>”Never seen him before,” Another murmured and the bullies seemed a little unsettled. Good, Eren thought viciously. Let’s keep it that way.</p><p>”Give it back, or I hurt you,” He said, chest puffed and his own fists clenched as he stalked up to stand by Sunheart. “Will lose.”</p><p>”Fine then,” The large kid said and lunged for Eren who met him with eager fists and nails. Eren fought like a beast protecting its home, all wild viciousness with no care for honor or fairness. The other kids tried to join in and beat on him too but when he tackled an interloper hard enough to slam them into unconsciousness against the cobbled path, they turned tail and ran. The large kid took off the moment Eren’s attention was off of him, crying pathetically at the sting of his scratches. Eren gave mock-chase with a loud hiss, sending them all running that much faster, he huffed with satisfaction and turned to the book that had been abandoned in the scuffle. He picked it up, brushed it off, and examined the cover for a moment, though he couldn’t read the title, it had the picture of horses on it.</p><p>Horses were beautiful creatures to Eren, though he had mostly only seen them from time to time when the Stone-people or, rather, the Cape-wings visited. They seemed steadfast and powerful, he would love to pet one someday. He shook himself of his musing and turned, offering the book back to Sunheart.</p><p>”Here,” He said. “Book.”</p><p>”T-thanks,” Sunheart squeaked, a little fearful. Eren frowned again, glancing at himself before pausing. Well, he supposed he did look a sight, bleeding knuckles and a blooming bruise on his jaw. “Who—why?”</p><p>”Name Eren,” He replied, all to happy to indulge the other boy. “They are mean, you need help.”</p><p>The boy seemed a little embarrassed at that but spoke anyway, “My name’s Armin, nice to meet you, Eren.”</p><p>”Nice to meet you,” He mimicked, words a little unfamiliar in his mouth. “What kind of book?”</p><p>”Oh!” Sunheart—Armin exclaimed, a little surprised. “It’s a book about the horses of the Walls. It’s really interesting because of how they purposefully breed fast and enduring horses to get even better ones! That’s why they all seem pretty similar...”</p><p>Half of the words flew straight over Eren’s head but he nodded along as he pondered on how strange the Stone language was. At least he was getting a better grasp the more Armin babbled on.</p><p>”... though there are some that aren’t like that...”</p><p>Really, it was kind of... nice? His mother didn’t talk like this, they only spoke when relaying information about the forest or what their day was like. Armin was so much more enthusiastic, so much—younger? Was that what he was looking for?</p><p>”And titans don’t even pay attention to them!... I’m rambling, I’m sorry...”</p><p>Blinking back into focus, Eren tilted his head as Armin ducked his head in embarrassment and his ears burned red.</p><p>”Titans don’t care horses?” He asked and Armin’s brow furrowed for a moment before shaking his head.</p><p>”It’s like they only see humans and that’s it,” The boy replied, he seemed a little hesitant, blue eyes glancing up at Eren. “You speak... um...”</p><p>”Broken?” Eren offered, unbothered for the most part. It was a little annoying but what did it matter? “I learn language.”</p><p>”I see!” Armin hummed, a spark to his eye. “You helped me with those jerks, would you like me to help you learn? I’m sure my grandpa has books for it.”</p><p>”You spend time with me?” Eren asked, head canted to the side once more. “Help me, why?”</p><p>”Well, you seem nice,” The bright-haired boy answered, a hand rising to his shoulder. “And I don’t have many friends. Besides, I owe you now!”</p><p>”You, my friend?” Eren felt giddy, surging forward to hug Armin hard enough to make the boy wheeze. </p><p>“I’ll take that as a yes then,” He managed to croak.</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I actually wanted to get more done this chapter BUT I want to gauge responses and I have a much clearer idea of where I’m going next so I wanted to start a fresh doc—I’m also crazy paranoid that this chapter will somehow wipe itself. Expect a chapter by Tuesday! It should be a ways longer and carry us from Eren’s life in Shinganshina to the first Wall-fall.</p><p>However, it will hopefully have some fluffy bits, some relationship building, and then some really quite sad parts. ;-; mind the tags for that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Roosting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Settling into Stone life is odd, but Eren has his friends to see him through it... if only he knew what was to come next.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Got a long one for you today!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eren was elated as he arrived back home, the sun settling behind the walls. After checking his bruise had healed and any blood had been cleaned off, he ran in, closing the door a little rougher than he meant to in his excitement.</p>
<p>“<em> Mom! </em>” He called and rushed into the sitting room. He slid to a stop, heart plummeting into his gut at the thunderous expression his mother has on behind the strange woman who turned at his entrance. </p>
<p>“Oh, is this your son?” The woman asked, smiling bright. “He whistles very well!”</p>
<p>Eren doesn’t know if he should feel flattered or insulted.</p>
<p>His mother coughed into a hand.</p>
<p>“Are you alright?” The woman questioned next, so easily redirected. </p>
<p>“Just under the weather,” His mother tittered, clearing her throat and waving a hand. “But yes, this is my son. Eren, come introduce yourself.”</p>
<p>“Hello,” He said and then in a brilliant stroke of genius, says, “Nice to meet you!”</p>
<p>“Such good manners!” The woman gasped. “I’m Marn, I just came by to see you in person, oh and to get Carla’s wonderful soup recipe.”</p>
<p>“Too kind,” His mother laughed. Eren wished he hadn’t run into the room, wanting to throw himself out the window. So many of these words and sentences were just a jumble of confusion but he stuck a shy smile to his face and tried to hold on for dear life. The women talked back and forth, Eren chiming in at times when prompted.</p>
<p>“Am twelve,” He answered and Marn hummed.</p>
<p>“His speech is not as bad as you led me to believe,” She said to his mother, who seemed to appraise her son for a moment. “I still can’t understand why your husband—sorry, ex-husband did that to him, what a disgusting man.”</p>
<p>Eren perked up at that, listening intently while his mother sighs. </p>
<p>“Me neither,” She answered with a shake of her head. “I’m glad that Eren is learning and experiencing new things now.”</p>
<p>The conversation swerved away from the topic and he managed to wait it out without squirming too much.</p>
<p>“Well, I best be on my way!” Marn chirped at last and Eren almost sags with relief. </p>
<p>“See you again soon,” His mother smiled as she led her friend to the door and exchange goodbyes. He was a little scared when his mother re-entered the room, expecting her to be angry at his slip-up. For a moment, he wonders if she would send him back to the forest so soon. He leapt to his feet, ready to argue but his mother just gives him a strange look.</p>
<p>He cleared his throat, a little awkward before he remembers why he was so excited in the first place.</p>
<p>“I made friend!” He exclaimed and ran up to his mother, spilling every single detail of everything that had happened. Carla’s hands jump to his face, picking out the fading bruise with practiced ease. </p>
<p>“I knew your temper would get you in trouble soon enough,” She huffed, releasing him as he glanced down with a little guilt. Her fingers curled around his chin and she gave a warm smile. “But, I’m glad you made a friend, Eren.”</p>
<p>He grinned, wide and happy. Armin was the best friend he could ask for, he was sure of it! He was small, sure, but he was smart! Eren bet that Armin could trick him with ease. </p>
<p>He paused, unsure if he should be insulted by himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The next few days, Eren settled into a sort-of rhythm. He would meet Armin in a small field not far from where he had met the boy just before noon and stay with him until just before sundown. </p>
<p>“Thank you, Armin,” Eren said then after a moment of thought, tacked on, “Again.”</p>
<p>“It’s no problem!” The blonde (<em> not yellow-haired, Eren </em>) boy replied, pleasant. “Can you read this one more time?”</p>
<p>“Mhm!”</p>
<p>This continued for a seven-day—<em> week </em> , <em> they’re called weeks— </em>then they shifted from just pure lessons to also indulging in laughter, jokes, and other fun games. One day, they had stayed playing as the sun dipped beneath the wall and Eren’s ears caught someone calling over the field. Armin perked up, embarrassment and surprise on his face.</p>
<p>“I totally lost track of time!” He shouted, gathering his things into his backpack. “Hey, Eren, I have someone I want you to meet!”</p>
<p>Just then, another call echoed across the field: “Armin?”</p>
<p>“Mikasa, over here!” Armin called back, waving a hand. Someone was coming over, Eren realized, someone just as tall as Armin, so surely it was someone just as young. He blinked as a black-haired girl with <em> grey eyes! </em></p>
<p>She looked just like Silver-eye! Grey eyes and long black hair set on a pale face. He hadn’t seen anyone else with features like Silver-eyes’! Could the two be related? He perked up as she came to a stop.</p>
<p>“Mikasa, this is Eren!” Armin said, pulling Eren’s wondrous attention back to the matter at hand. “Eren, this is Mikasa! He’s the one I’ve been helping.”</p>
<p>“Hello,” Mikasa said cordially but her eyes were sharp. <em> Speaks few words too! </em></p>
<p>“Nice to meet you,” Eren parroted once more, offering a wave. She just bobbed her head in acknowledgement and turned back to Armin who stood.</p>
<p>“You’ll get home safe, right?” Armin asked the brown-haired boy, looking concerned. “We can walk you.”</p>
<p>Eren puzzled the strange words but shook his head. “I will get safe home.”</p>
<p>“Home safe,” Armin corrected before turning to follow Mikasa off the field. “See you tomorrow?”</p>
<p>“See you!” Then Eren was on his way home himself, he made sure to walk at a brisk pace to get there before night fell completely. He was carefully stepping on the bricks along the path, making a game of avoiding the lines until he made it to the street before his own.</p>
<p>The hairs on the back of his neck stood, his feathers bristled, and he froze, wide teal eyes scanning. He felt hunted. His heart thundered in panic, he hadn't felt this way for a <em> long </em> time.</p>
<p>His eyes landed on a shadow, two glass lenses glittering in the low light. A man stood there, hands slack at his sides, jaw tensed. Eren couldn’t move—<em> move, move, move, RUN. </em></p>
<p>His limbs refused to obey. The man took a step forward, Eren skittered backwards, an avian wail of <em> motherhelpmotherhelp </em> building in his throat. His chest was heaving as his wings tried to twist and break free of the harness, this man smelt <em> wrongwrongsicktitansick </em> <b> <em>kin</em> </b>.</p>
<p>The man took another step forward.</p>
<p>Eren shrieked and his feet finally listened and he fled. He couldn’t hear footsteps behind him but he kept running and running as though the man were right on his heels—maybe he was—that thought only made him scurry faster. He cried out, “<em> Mother, mother! </em>”</p>
<p>He heard a door clatter open followed by multiple windows before he made it to his new home, the door flying open to reveal his panicked mother. He dove right past her and tugged her inside roughly as she protested with a sharp, “<em> Eren! Stop! </em>”</p>
<p>“<em> Danger, danger! </em> ” He cried, clutching her skirt. “ <em> Strange man, wrongwrong-sick-sick-kin! </em>”</p>
<p>His mother froze, before she turned and wrenched the door shut with a slam. She dropped to her knees in front of him and clutched him to her chest, his heaving breaths stuttering with avian cries. She hummed low in her chest, rocking him, but he could feel her rapid heartbeat and he could almost imagine her wings bristling over her shoulders in a threat display. </p>
<p>They sat there for a while, then his mother led him around to blow out the candles and shutter the windows, then she tucked him into bed. As she hummed and shushed him and comforted him, one thought stuck out among the many.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His mother was scared.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>For the next few days, neither of them left the home or answered knocks at the door. Each time a shadow so much as passed over their front windows, Eren ducked down with a terrified chitter. </p>
<p>On the fourth day, his mother left to the market, a scarf tucked around her head. When she returned, she comforted him once more.</p>
<p>“You are safe now, Eren,” She explained, eyes gentle and voice calm. “He is gone.”</p>
<p>“...How… how you know?” Eren couldn’t help but ask. “Who is <em> he </em>?”</p>
<p>“Eren,” His mother’s voice bordered on warning.</p>
<p>“<em> He smells like me! Smells of my blood </em> !” He shouted, temper flaring to life. “ <em> You have to tell me who he is! </em>”</p>
<p>“I will not tell you,” His mother snapped back. “He is gone now and will not return for a long time. Forget about him.”</p>
<p>“<em> You must! </em>” He demanded and his mother’s face darkened. She turned on her heel and noisly shuffled dishes around. Eren refused to give up, marching up to her side and hissing in displeasure.</p>
<p>“<em> Eren, you will forget about him right now! </em> ” She finally shouted. “ <em> You will never see him again. </em>”</p>
<p>“<em> So tell me! Who was </em> <b> <em>he</em> </b> <em> ?! </em>” His mother broke.</p>
<p>“<em> Your. Father,” </em> She bit out, a dangerous growl rolling in her chest. “ <em> Now silence yourself. </em>”</p>
<p>Shock shot through him.</p>
<p>His… father?</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eren?”<br/><br/></p>
<p>He blinked, glancing up, startled. Armin’s brow creased and he shut the book he was holding.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” Armin asked tentatively, scooting a little closer. Eren frowned, eyes dropping to his hands in his lap.</p>
<p>“Yes, am okay,” Eren answered, voice a little shaky. “Dis-dist-”</p>
<p>“Distracted?” Eren nodded. “By what?”</p>
<p>“I… my Mother, she tell me of my Father.” Armin perked up, curious but also wary.</p>
<p>“Is that… good?” </p>
<p>Eren bit his lip and shook his head. “She hates him, we hide for day and night till he leave.”</p>
<p>Armin looked much more concerned. “Walls, Eren, I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>“Thank.”</p>
<p>There were a few moments of silence before Armin got up, brushing off his pants. </p>
<p>“C’mon, I want to show you something!”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two picked up their things and hurried into town, Eren followed Armin down confusing twists and turns, leading Eren to parts he hadn’t seen before. The blonde boy led him to a dead-end, a brick wall rising up with a number of barrels sat just before it. Armin ushered him forward, climbing up onto one barrel and then up onto the small wall. Eren followed suit, climbing up with ease and followed Armin down the other side.</p>
<p>A wide road came up in front of them as they left the alley and they kept walking till they reached the brick curb. A crowd was gathering at each edge of the street, slowly bustling forwards. A loud whistle cut the air and Eren’s head shot up to the plume of green<em> ? </em> smoke floating in the sky.</p>
<p>Shouts and calls sounded from the greater Wall and his eyes were drawn to the people at the foot of it. Slowly, with a loud groan that had the crowd quieting down. There were a few clanks that echoed through the quiet buildings and then a portion of the Wall began to <em> rise. </em></p>
<p>Eren stared in awe, barely aware of Armin peering at him. Shapes came from under the door, brown and green shadows that had him almost standing on his tip-toes. Heavy hoofbeats slowed as they clopped against the hard ground, the silence remaining over the crowd like a mutual held breath. </p>
<p>He caught a whisper to his left, “Less than what left, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>Another whisper answered: “Its always that way.”</p>
<p>The shapes grew closer and began to pass him. It was <em> Them </em>, the first Stone-people he had ever seen. The ones with the wings that didn’t flap like his did. That meant--</p>
<p>His eyes hooked onto the male to the right of the approaching group, face placid and eyes firmly straight. <em> Silver-eye! </em> He was still alive! And Wild-hair was just a ways further back, speaking with someone at her side. Eren couldn’t see Brows anywhere though, something he was pleased about. That one scared him the most.</p>
<p>He was so confused; the people had returned from Titan-infested land alive. Wasn’t that something to celebrate? Instead looks of derision, scorn, fear, and grief followed the quiet crowd.</p>
<p>“When are you Scouts gonna have something to show for our daughters’ and sons’ deaths?!” A woman cried. Eren only had half a mind to turn his head to Armin before whispering in confusion.</p>
<p>“Scouts?” Armin nodded quietly.</p>
<p>“The Scouts, they go out of the Walls and try to reclaim, take back, the land outside, or find a way to do it.” Eren scowled, there wasn’t a hint of pride or awe in Armin’s voice, just a disquieting somberness. </p>
<p>“And that is… bad?” Armin bit his lip. Eren glanced back at the crowd and realized Silver-eye was just about to pass him. He couldn’t help but stare, wonder in his eyes as his equally dark-coated horse carried him steadily down the road.</p>
<p>Eren downright froze when the eyes flickered towards him, nailing him in place as he watched him pass. Just as quickly, the eyes had flicked away, back down the street.</p>
<p>Eren stood there even after the crowd dissipated, asking Armin question after question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank, Armin!” Eren chirped, spirits raised as he skipped up to his front door. Armin just smiled and waved before following Mikasa to his own home. The girl had slowly begun to come earlier and earlier, oddly missing today till the last moment. He surprised himself at the last second by blurting, “Bye Mikasa!”</p>
<p>The girl faltered in her steps, grey eyes glancing back in surprise before they ebbed back to calm. “Goodnight, Eren.”</p>
<p>The door in front of him swung open and he shut it after him, surprised to see his mother sitting in the kitchen. He hesitated, before going towards his room, a lick of anger still pervading his being. He made it to his room and settled down for sleep.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, it was hard to find, and when he did, it was infected with glances of Titans, splashes of blood, and the flash of a silver blade.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>He was surprised when Mikasa was sitting with Armin in their usual meet-up spot beneath the tree in the field. She made no move to leave when he walked up, seemingly busy with her reading of a book with incredibly small text. She payed him little mind and so he focused on Armin and his lessons, eventually yawning and falling back to lay in the grass for a break, Armin copying him and enjoying the breeze.</p>
<p>Armin talked with Mikasa about something at length, Eren being too busy staring at a bird in the tree above them, stretching its wings before taking flight. Envy bubbled in his chest and all of a sudden, his wings ached with such a ferocity that had him bolting up to his feet.</p>
<p>He ignored the surprised noise from his two companions, marching up to the tree and looking it up and down. He backed up a little, then leapt. He clambered up the tree, scurrying into the thick branches above. He still ached for the sky again but the effort made the unused muscles in his shoulder loosen, pain fading out.</p>
<p>“Eren, careful!” Armin shouted, panic in his face. Mikasa had stood up as well, eyes huge. </p>
<p>“I’m fine!” He called back down. “Climb good! Promise!”</p>
<p>The two seemed to calm down a little after that. Eren climbed down eventually, nothing more than a scrape or two to show for his mad scramble upwards. As the sun began to settle towards the horizon, the three had fallen into a companionable silence, dozing calmly. </p>
<p>Eren cleared his throat. “Do wish to go Beyond?”</p>
<p>Armin glanced aside at him, hair sprawled in the grass. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“Beyond the Wall?” Eren continued, watching their expressions. Mikasa seemed just as unbothered as ever, but Armin looked hopeful.</p>
<p>“I think we all do, deep down,” Armin said, staring up at the sky. “I want to see the sea one day.”</p>
<p>“The… sea?”</p>
<p>“It's only ever in books,” Armin admitted, looking a little embarrassed. Mikasa looked put-upon. “It's a great big ocean, just, a huge body of salt water. Salt water!”</p>
<p>An image flashed in his mind, a vast shimmering blue stretching as far as the eye could see. The tangy, salty smell riding the breeze alongside him as he flew. It was a sea? An ocean? </p>
<p>“I- It sounds beautiful. You see one day, Armin, I’ll bring you to it if I have to!”</p>
<p>Armin looked dumb-founded, before his face broke into a smile. “Thanks, Eren.”</p>
<p>Eren nodded and leaned back in the grass again. Though his face was smooth and he looked asleep, a thick storm roared to life behind his eyes. Anger and fury curled into one thunderous cloud, it was unfair. </p>
<p>Eren had his wings, he could just fly beyond. He could come and go as he went! But, Armin, Mikasa, they were <em> trapped </em> here. Like birds in cages, prime for the picking. How could the Stone-people have stuck themselves like this? And some complained and <em> hated </em> that the Scouts <em> tried </em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bye, Eren!”<br/>“Bye, Eren.”</p>
<p>The boy scampered up the stone steps and inside his house with a happy wave. Mikasa and Armin turned to travel back to their own home. They took a slightly longer route, the sun wouldn’t be going down that soon. </p>
<p>“Have you ever seen Eren’s mom?” Armin asked Mikasa, glancing aside at her. She nodded, black hair falling over her shoulder.</p>
<p>“I saw her in the market last when I went with your grandpa. Everyone likes her.”</p>
<p>“I’ve only seen her a few times but she seemed nice,” Armin agreed before he frowned. “I just… don’t get why he doesn’t have any understanding of things <em> everyone </em> knows. He’s older than us but barely knows anything about the Walls, he <em> still </em> calls them the Stone sometimes.”</p>
<p>Mikasa shrugged. “He’s weird.”</p>
<p>Armin’s eyes dropped to the road. “It’s mean to say that. The other boys think <em> I’m </em> weird.”</p>
<p>“You are,” Mikasa replied. “It doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”</p>
<p>“Do you like Eren?” </p>
<p>“He’s… nice.”</p>
<p>“Just nice?” Mikasa hummed in agreement. “Well, if you say so.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>A few more months past, bringing Eren to thirteen and the other two to ten years old. They all chose a day to celebrate together, bringing snacks and sweets to their meet-up spot. </p>
<p>“Glad I met you,” Eren grinned. “Glad you are my friends.”</p>
<p>“Me too, Eren!” Armin laughed while Mikasa nodded in agreement. “Let nothing separate us!” </p>
<p>“Nothing will if I can stop it!” Eren shouted in vehemence. The group fell into laughs and jokes as the clouds overhead drifted by… and two sets of eyes stared at the wall from Beyond.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Eren had been on his way to see Mikasa and Armin in the town square when an eerie silence overtook every road, heads turning to stare at one pinpoint. Eren squinted as he realized the sun had been blocked out. He glanced upwards, terror striking through his heart like a blade.</p>
<p>Beady eyes glared down at them all.</p>
<p>Then the screams began. A crack and rumbling and then a cruel gust of wind was pushing him backwards down the road, cries of panic and fear overtook his hearing and fleeing bodies took his sight. His wings tried to flare, stretching dangerously against his harness fruitlessly in an attempt to catch the wind. An avian screech tore free of his lungs but it was blotted out my other shrieks and noises. He tore off into the empty streets, ignoring the terrifying snippets that passed through his ears.</p>
<p>“They’re coming in!”</p>
<p>“Run! Run!”</p>
<p>“Don’t let them get me, don’t let <em> them get me, PLEASE </em>!”</p>
<p>“GET OUT OF THE WAY!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He ran towards home, trying to make sense of the crowds and confusing streets. He fell across the ground as he tripped over someone’s ankle, overbalancing in his panic and colliding with the bricks. He dodged feet, only barely avoiding getting a bruise stomped into his ribs. A sword clattered to the ground not far from him and his gaze was yanked upwards. The man who dropped it was hanging from a Titan’s jowls, teeth slowly chewing away at his chest, dead blue eyes stared right at him. </p>
<p>He began to shake, scrambling up to his feet and away, skittering past a greedy hand looking for seconds. He heard a child scream and slid to a stop around the corner. </p>
<p><em> Sunheart, Mooneye! He can’t leave them! </em> <b> <em>They could die!</em> </b></p>
<p>Eren’s teeth clenched in a violent hiss and he turned on his heel, hurrying down another street. He needed to find them, he needed to find them, he needed to find them! He tore down street after street, trying to find the house he had once seen the two go into. Rubble, gore, and debris littered the streets, only broken up by the fleeing, the injured, and the <b> <em>monsters</em> </b>.</p>
<p>As one slobbered over a corpse, Eren felt anger curdling his face, making him snarl and his wings to strain.<br/><br/><em> I’ll kill them. </em> <b> <em>I’ll kill them all!</em> </b></p>
<p>A loud crash sounded to his left and he moved on before the Titan could set its eyes on him. He coughed as a dust cloud lingered in the air, casting an odd silence over the area.</p>
<p>“Mikasa! Don’t move, you could tip it!” Sunheart’s voice! Eren sprinted forwards as the dust began to settle, revealing the fallen building, Mikasa trapped beneath the edge of the roof and Armin kneeled just before her, tears coursing down his face and blood spattering hers.</p>
<p>“Sunheart! Mooneye!” He cried, pushing himself forward despite the anger and adrenaline and concern that had his knees weak and shaking.</p>
<p>“Eren!” Armin shouted. “You have to get help! Mikasa’s stuck and I- I can’t lift it!”</p>
<p>“Eren, where’s… where’s your mother?” Mikasa asked, voice weak and breathy. His heart twisted in dismay at what might have happened to his mother. <em> No, she’s strong. She’ll fly out. </em></p>
<p>“Calm, calm,” He tried to urge, catching his breath as quickly as he could manage. He moved closer to the roof, bracing his fingers beneath the edge and trying to lift. Every muscle twinged, but he couldn’t balance himself right, and the roof hardly budged. He tried again, letting out a grunt of exertion behind his teeth.</p>
<p>Sunhe- <em> Armin </em> whimpered, clutching at Mikasa’s hand. Thundering steps echoed, growing closer with each stride. He could see the rising panic on each of his friends’ faces. He turned to look, praying it was just a small one. He wanted to scream curse after curse as a fifteen-meter approached, swaying with each step, an eternal grin stitched on its face.</p>
<p>He heard Armin give another whimper, too frozen by his horror to even think of fleeing, not that he would, he wasn’t the type to--</p>
<p>Eren had a decision and no time to decide! </p>
<p>He braced himself against the roof again, gritting his teeth and then <em> pushed </em>. The straps refused to give way! He tried again, and again, each time, the material straining. He cursed aloud, pulling up his shirt to his shoulders. Mikasa’s eyes went huge as she saw the straps adorning his torso.</p>
<p>“Armin!” Eren shouted but the blonde boy was still frozen, dread marring his face. “<em> Sunheart! </em>”</p>
<p>Armin jerked, glancing over at the high screech, freezing again at what he could see and Mikasa could not.</p>
<p>“Armin, listen!” Eren pleaded. “Need release strap! The back, the back! Hurry!”</p>
<p>The boy didn’t move. </p>
<p>“ARMIN!” He begged. “Help Mikasa, need help, need hurry! Release strap! We die if you don’t!”</p>
<p>That seemed to get Armin’s head on straight, for he inhaled sharply and scrambled forwards, shaking hands grabbing at the straps. Eren could feel the moment his fingers snagged on the release and nodded vigorously. Armin managed to pull it with his feeble grip. Eren couldn’t wait for the boy to get out of range!</p>
<p>His wings snapped outwards, slamming and knocking Armin back onto his rear. Eren beat them furiously, as he braced against the roof, no time to bask in the relief of them being free. The wood gave a groan and he could hear a few more snaps but he kept lifting and lifting, the roof rose far enough off of Mikasa so she could crawl out, helped by Armin yanking on her arms. </p>
<p>“W...wings…?” Armin whispered but his attention was once more robbed by the titan that leered over them, its shadow blocking out the sky. Mikasa’s eyes had already gone dull in shock and Armin was quickly following. He took them into his arms with as firm of a grip as he could manage before taking flight. It had been so long--the elation he felt almost eclipsed the negativity that wracked him.</p>
<p>The bases of his wings strained something fierce, and he almost thought the three were going to fall from the sky and into the awaiting mouth of the grinning Titan still reaching towards them. </p>
<p>He carried them onto the highest rooftop he could find before collapsing. He let his wings lay loose on the ground, loosened feathers slipping loose as he panted and kneeled besides his friends. Armin managed to pull himself up, staring in disbelief at Eren, while Mikasa still lay there, trembling. </p>
<p>He frowned in concern, reaching up to remove his scarf. He had almost forgotten about it most mornings, only remembering to put it on at his mother’s behest. It hid any straps that might be revealed by his shirt’s neckline. No need to worry about that now. He wrapped the scarf as well as he could manage, trying to keep his touch gentle before plopping the tail end of the scarf on her head, provoking a shaky smile.</p>
<p>Eren bit his lip, looking at them both, torn. Then he lurched forward, pulling the two into a tight hug. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” He said, beginning to cry. “I lied.”</p>
<p>He could hear a disbelieving breath from Armin in protest, wrapping his previously limp arms around the older boy; Mikasa followed suit, her grip much tighter. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Mikasa whispered. Tears gathered in each of their eyes as they sat there, embraced as the chaos below continued to echo. It could all wait, for just a moment.</p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Believe it or not, there was meant to be more to this chapter! But I felt like enough happened that any more would just feel <i>too</i> much. Hope you all liked it! We're getting to the good stuff now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Territory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eren gets Mikasa and Armin to safety, but at what cost?<br/>Later, he finds some mysterious beasts that have wandered much too far from home than they ought to have.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another chapter? So soon?<br/>I was really surprised that I've been able to write so consistently as of recent, maybe its the lovely comments (thank you so much for those by the way, they really make me feel happy about my chapters!) or just some weird surge of motivation, but I don't want it to end.</p><p>For this chapter, I've actually got a little surprise! Well, surprise is a little debatable. I was kind of pondering on Eren's anatomy and 3DMG so I had to throw together some sketches and well, it kind of expanded from there. Its just a few doodles, nothing too crazy but it definitely helped me figure out things.<br/><a href="https://jackalcackle.tumblr.com/post/644090210750234624/sf-sketches-i">Eren &amp; Carla Sketches - 3DMG Harness - Shirt I</a></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Only when night fell did the three move about. Mikasa had an injured leg from the collapse so he had to be careful of jostling her. It was a little precarious but he managed to take flight, wings beating in an unsteady beat as he adjusted to the weight in his arms, thankfully, the two were very even in size and it made it easy to balance out. </p><p>Despite the broken glass that glittered in the moonlight and the rubble that littered the streets, Mikasa’s and Armin’s eyes were wide in wonder as he carried them towards the inner wall (at the two’s direction)... and if he let himself curve around buildings in wider than necessary arcs, who was to tell? His wings ached fiercely, already having been weakened from lack of flight, but he powered through.</p><p>As the wall came up just before them, he hissed out, “Brace.”</p><p>His wings flapped harshly as he climbed, he could see Mikasa wince as her leg moved with each rise. He could see the glimmer of torches atop the Stone and remembered that Stone people tended to patrol the tops. He kept going upwards, passing the wall’s top until he was cloaked in the dark of the night sky. </p><p>“It all looks so small…” Armin whispered, blue eyes staring downwards. Mikasa nodded in agreement, Eren just gave them a sympathetic smile. Flight had a way of making things look tiny, even the hole that revealed Wall Maria’s innards to the now slumbering Titans.</p><p>He had to stop for rest half way through the territory for fear of dropping himself, Armin, and Mikasa out of the sky. He managed to land and the three sat in a field for half an hour as Eren napped, the other two were only reassured by Eren’s “<em> Titans no danger, at night, they sleep. </em>”</p><p>Otherwise, the two would’ve been a lot more hair-trigger. </p><p> </p><p>He took flight again, a little shakier this time but when the inner wall rose up in front of him, Eren breathed a sigh of relief. He spotted two men atop it, too busy gathered around a fire to notice Eren and his companions swathed in darkness above. He set into a glide, eyes peering through the night gloom to see the slumped and gathered people below, also crowding around fires, speaking in a low hum. </p><p>He swerved downwards behind a darkened building, legs swinging forward to catch their landing. He grunted at the impact, his wings falling loose to the ground once he was close enough to the ground, he fell to his knees with a wince. </p><p>Mikasa and Armin managed to catch themselves better than him, Armin looking in concern at her only for her to shake her head and hobble forward to Eren’s side. He breathed heavily through his nose, muscles burning with exertion. </p><p>“Are you okay?” Mikasa asked and Eren huffed an exhausted laugh.</p><p>“Fine, am fine,” He replied, rising to his feet, flexing his shaky knees. “Where now?”<br/>
<br/>
“We need to find my Grandpa,” Armin said, a crease to his brow. “He has to be here.”</p><p>Mikasa had a sad look on her face but nodded anyways, doing her best to follow with dragging steps. Eren frowned, looking to his wing harness and huffing at his shirt, the back still caught around the top of his wings. He tried to fold them in and hissed aloud at the twinge the mere flex ran through them. He closed his eyes, dragging them in bit by bit despite the pain. </p><p>“<em> Almost </em>,” He gritted out, managing to pull his shirt back down. He felt someone come up behind him and take hold of the wing harness, carefully netting the feathers and re-fastening the strap. He let out a surprised chirp, turning to blink owlishly at Sunheart who just gave a weary smile in response. Eren rolled his shoulders and motioned for the two younger children to lead the way, stooping to help support Mikasa’s weight off her injured leg and making their pace quicker. </p><p>Eventually, Armin slowed to a halt in-between all the ‘<em> refugees </em>’ (as Armin called them), looking desperate and in despair. </p><p>“I- I can’t-” He hiccuped, a hand coming up to his mouth. Eren carefully let Mikasa balance on her own, glancing around in confusion as each face looked near the same to him, he frowned in thought till his eyes landed on a trio of people off to the side, dressed in tan <em> ‘jackets’ </em> and white trousers, the back of their coats didn’t have wings but they did have the roses!</p><p>He yanked on Armin’s sleeve, pointing at one of them and made a questioning chirr. Armin’s eyes lit up, glancing disbelieving between Eren and the trio before breaking into a sprint towards them.</p><p>“Hannes!”</p><p>Eren shaped the word in his mouth with confusion, nose wrinkling at the weird sensation as he helped Mikasa limp over in a hurry. </p><p>“Armin! Mikasa!” This… <em> Hannes </em> shouted as he whirled on his heel and ran towards them, meeting Armin half way. “You made it safe! I couldn’t find you! Are you alright?”</p><p>“Thanks to Eren!” Armin said, explaining in a rush. “Mikasa got stuck under the roof and Eren helped get her out.”</p><p>Hannes turned and Eren quailed under the look of confusion and pure gratitude on the man’s face. </p><p>“Thank you,” He said, eyes wet. “You got them here safe. Thank you.”</p><p>“Welcome,” Eren managed to say, letting Hannes pick up Mikasa. The man then turned, ruffling Armin’s hair.</p><p>“Let’s get you all to your Grandpa, Armin,” Hannes said and Armin eagerly followed him. Eren only tailed after Mikasa had glanced back in confusion, they went down twists and turns until Armin gasped.</p><p>“Grandpa!” Armin cried, embracing the older man that Eren had gotten used to seeing at Armin and Mikasa’s home. The man embraced the two children, gaze flicking up to regard Eren warmly with concern. </p><p>“Eren, I’m glad you’re safe too,” Armin’s Grandfather said. “Where’s your mother?”</p><p>Eren hesitated a moment, unsure of where she had gone or if she was even-- <em> she’s alive, she has to be. </em> He just offered a shaky, tired smile and replied, “She’s safe.”</p><p>The man nodded in relief, “I’m happy to hear it.”</p><p>Eren just rocked on his heels, nodding in agreement, fear rising up to choke him. He sat besides his two friends as they settled in, Mr. Arlert (Armin’s Grandfather) and Hannes spoke together in hushed tones a bit away. </p><p>“Eren, is your mom really okay?” Mikasa asked, reaching over to grab her arm. Eren just forced himself to nod and he stood up, brushing himself off. </p><p>“Yes, I go to find her now,” Eren answered, cutting them off as they began to protest. “She’s like I, wings.”</p><p>A high trilling sound echoed through the air, cutting through the silent air above. Eren’s heart swelled with joy and relief and love, he nearly called back a high croon of happiness but kept his lips sealed. He turned to go then paused, glancing back, a sudden wash of sadness making him hesitate.</p><p>“I…” Eren paused. “I don’t know if I return.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Armin asked, lurching to sit up, despair already rising again. Eren bit his lip.</p><p> </p><p>“We go Beyond, live Beyond, I was born Beyond,” Eren tried to explain and realization dawned on both of their faces. “Mother, hide us away. I… I want to see you again.”</p><p>Tears had begun to wet his eyes. This might be goodbye. This could be goodbye…? His mother would be angry that he had shown his wings, wouldn’t she? She would never let him return! But, he wanted to be sure she was safe… but… Sunheart, Mooneye, they looked so devastated as his words sunk in. </p><p>A tear slipped down his cheek and he realized the other two had begun to cry as well, understanding. Always understanding. He took a few wobbling steps forward and pulled them into a tight hug. </p><p>“Will see you, <em> will </em> see you,” Eren said, vehement, he wanted nothing more than to wrap his wings around them again. He opened his mouth, then hesitated again, then pushed through, “ <em> We will meet again, Sunheart, Mooneye, I promise it. I promise it with my heart. Upon my wings. </em>”</p><p>He could see the heartbreak and rising grief and the wonder at his avian words, twisted and trilled and crooned and so unlike the Stone language. He smiled and then, he ran.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Once he had reached an isolated corner, he had released his wings once more, taking flight and taking deep breaths before calling back that high <em> ‘I’m here, where are you?’ </em> cry. His wings carried him towards home of their own volition, honing in on the path he had only flown once, knowing deep down, it was where he was most likely to find his mother. </p><p>He could hear her respond some way down the route, her call older and wreathed in more tones of relief, of love, and of anger. </p><p>When he made it to the Nest, he collapsed upon the familiar structure, falling forward to the wooden flooring as sleep swallowed him up. He was far too tired to even react to the worried crooning of his mother before he was gone.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>When he awoke, he was placed carefully in his bed and just a few twitches made aches ring through his bones. His wings were free and a shirt with an open back had been clasped onto him, much to his relief. The woolen long sleeve was nice but it had scrubbed the top of his wings raw from the flight yesterday. </p><p>Eren sat up with a whine of pain, shoulders <em> burning </em> as he dared lean himself on his palms. He leaned forward, eyes clenched shut against the buzzing sensation in his back. </p><p>When they opened, his mother was by his bed, she breathed a heavy sigh when she realized he was moving just fine. She smiled, combing fingers through his hair.</p><p>“<em>I feared the worst</em>,” She admitted, brows twitching upwards and he feared she might cry. “ <em> I couldn’t find you. </em>”</p><p>“<em>Sorry, sorry,</em> ” He crooned in apology, wings flexing inwards and outwards as he tested what hurt and didn’t. “<em>I couldn’t-- I couldn’t leave Sunheart and Mooneye. </em>”</p><p>His mother’s expression twisted. </p><p>“<em>I couldn’t! Mikasa-Mooneye was stuck under a roof, I had to get her out! </em>”</p><p>“<em>How did you help her?” </em> Her tone was caught somewhere between disbelief and ice. </p><p>“<em>I had to lift it! Her leg was caught, </em> ” Eren explained, words tumbling out of his mouth. “ <em> I tried lifting it with just my arms but I couldn’t! I had to… I had to use my wings. </em>”</p><p>He tried to brace himself for her wrath but she was silent.</p><p>“<em>Armin-Sunheart hit the release and I got her out. I carried them up onto a building, and then flew them to Wall Rose, to Armin’s </em> Grandfather. <em> ” </em></p><p>“<em>Who saw them? </em>” He knew she meant the wings.</p><p>“<em>Just Armin-Sunheart and Mikasa-Mooneye, </em>” Eren answered, eyes dropping into his lap. His mother stood, pacing to the edge of the nest. Her wings were held tight to her back and he wondered why, why hadn’t she begun to screech and timber at him? He’d revealed his wings, that was the most terrible thing he could’ve done in his mother’s eyes… and yet, she turned around and walked back over, face pinched and torn, before hugging him.</p><p>“<em>You revealed us, but you did it for the right reason, Eren,</em>” She said, letting loose another deep breath. “<em>You did it for the best reason of all.</em> <em>We can’t return to the Stone, not for a while, but it's not to punish you. It's for our own good.</em>”</p><p>He knew they couldn’t go back, but the confirmation sunk a blade of ice into his heart all over again.</p><p>"<em>Its for their own good too,</em>" She continued, a sad smile on her face. "<em>We don't want to take from their already limited supplies, okay?</em>"</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Eren missed them dearly.</p><p>It had been a year since he had last been to the Stone, but he missed sitting in the sun, in the grass, laughing with Armin as Mikasa watched on with amusement. He missed their running down the streets. </p><p>He missed their quiet talks, he missed their lessons.</p><p>He did his best to keep learning but, his mother wasn’t the most forthcoming on the topic. He had spent a year with them and then spent another year on his own in the forest. He was fourteen, the two must be eleven now. His heart panged with loss and longing but he couldn’t bring himself to fly back to the Stone.</p><p>The extra year had seen new changes come to him, sprouting feathers in his hair similar to his mother, though her long hair disguised them well. His had stuck out at first, being short and stiff, making his mother laugh and liken him to a dandelion. They eventually had grown longer and sparser, making them easy to either hide among his own longer hair or they could easily be mistaken for odd adornments. He shook his head, what was he thinking? He had no one to hide them from out here, not even the Stone people, the <em> Scouts </em> came out this far anymore.</p><p>Oddly enough, when the next Spring rolled around, his long primaries had molted out back to the abnormal viridian of his fledgling years. He recalled his mother’s explanation and grew to hate the color. It wasn’t like he even had someone to present his wings to.</p><p>With a sigh, he took flight to patrol the eastern edge of the forest.</p><p>As the grass and trees passed, he flipped and weaved between the trunks, diving and rolling through the branches and gliding down to brush his feet against the surface of one of the bubbling streams. </p><p>A loud shriek cut the air and his heart hammered as he climbed upwards, wings beating a frantic pace to get him away from whatever had uttered such a horrific noise! His hand fell from his ear, having been raised there in his panic.</p><p>His eyes fell on a black beast at the edge of the stream, head tossed high and eyes flashing their whites. He blinked as he realized it was a horse, its face harness <em> thing </em> caught on a bush that held stubborn to the rocks. He looked around and noticed several horses, all varying shades of black, brown, and white. Eren carefully crept forward, taking hold of the caught line and pulling, he frowned as it refused to give. </p><p>“Sorry,” He hummed as he brought his sharpened nails to the material and in a few rasps, cut through. Now freed, the horse seemed to calm, loud hooves settling against the ground so it could paw its nose at his hands. “I have nothing to give you.”</p><p>He glanced to the side, in the direction he <em> knew </em> the Stone to be before turning back to the horses.</p><p>“Far from home,” He said. “Very far.”</p><p>He walked towards the edge of the forest, the horses following suit, the black-coated one always closest behind him. He turned and stared at it, something niggling at his thoughts before the flash of Silvereye atop a horse so very similar to this one. He blinked and realized, this must be the very same!</p><p>“I shouldn’t be doing this,” Eren continued as he stepped forwards to the field, a few horses broke off, walking the wrong way. He stopped, a frown turning his features before he realized the horses were eating at the grasses and wild grains. “Oh.”</p><p>He replaced his attention on the black horse as it browsed the ground, keeping a dark eye on him all the while. He marveled at the <em> saddle </em> atop its back and reached out, pulling on it experimentally, the horse only swayed a bit but didn’t seem to pay much other attention. He stepped up to its side, putting a hand in the odd triangular piece dangling at the side. </p><p>He canted his head in fascination, trying to summon up all memories he had of horses and their odd equipment. Eren eased a foot into the triangle, putting his weight on it, the horse shifted with him and raised its head, glancing back as it continued to chew. He swung his leg over, wings flaring out in brief apprehension as the horse stilled.</p><p>Then, the horse just huffed a great breath, taking a step forward. He marveled at the feeling of its great ribs expanding and contracting, he could feel the deep thrumming heartbeat, could feel the movement of every muscle. </p><p>“Amazing,” He breathed then patted the horse’s front shoulder, frowning when the horse didn’t move forward. He rocked in the saddle but that didn’t do much either. He clicked in frustration and the horse’s ears perked, moving forward before stopping again. “<em> Is that how you know to go? </em>”</p><p>He repeated the noise and the horse moved forward and then when he did it a few more times, the horse picked up speed, making him grip at the thin saddle as he was jostled around the first few strides. He remembered that the Stone people <em> stood </em> and he did the same, hunching over letting his knees and hips take the majority of the motion. </p><p>The horse thundered onwards, breaths becoming harsher and heavier and the horses who had been browsing all trumpeted and chased after. He laughed in elation, trilling aloud in victory as the horses flew across the meadows and fields, the far off Stone slowly revealing itself.</p><p>“<em>You’re like one of those… </em>Queens<em>,”</em> Eren said, nodding to himself. “<em>Konign, that’s you.</em> <em>Don’t know what Silvereye calls you but, this is what I’ll name you for now. Okay?”</em></p><p>The horse gave no reply, powering forward. Apprehension rose up in his chest as they galloped towards the broken gate of Shiganshina, not hesitating to run between Titan feet, though they were few and far between. He realized with a start, just how long this journey might take. When the sun set on the first day, he knew the horses were exhausted and they slept for several hours before he pushed them on again. At noon the next day, they stopped again for a break and he lamented his foolish decision. </p><p>It wasn’t a manner of speed that was making them so slow to cover ground, it was the physical limitation of the horses. They could only travel a finite distance before they had to stop for rest. He did feel bad for pushing them so hard but with each day, he could feel his mother growing worried.</p><p>The horses continued forward and eventually made it through the second ruined gate of Wall Maria. He curled his wings around himself, hiding all trace of human appearance, his wild scent disguising him from curious Titan noses. He had never stopped to see if they had a taste for him too but he didn’t want to check. They had to stop for the night again.</p><p>When the pristine gate of Trost rose up before him, he took flight from Konign’s back, she glanced back, hooves slowing as she began to stop. He urged her forward with more clicking.</p><p>“I’m not one of yours,” He said sadly, flying forward as long as he could be mistaken for a large bird. Night had fallen and the Titans had lurched to sleep, so when shouts of Stone dialect sounded and a platform was lowered from the top of the Wall, Eren broke off. “<em> Good luck. </em>”</p><p>Then he had to travel all the way back home on his own wings, which though he was tired and hungry, wouldn’t take nearly as long as the hoofbeasts did.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Mother?” He called, landing on the nest and peering around in confusion. He sniffed the air, his mother hadn’t been here in at least a day? He frowned before a loud, panic-ridden hoot sounded across the woods, he was off like a shot, hurrying to find the owl hollow.</p><p>The owl therein had ruffled feathers and looked scared, <b> <em>Guardian-childe! Seek your mother, you must! Guardian-Mother has been injured! Go to her, find her to the North, go now!</em> </b></p><p>He spared not a moment more. He cried and called out to the forest, “<b> <em>Where? Where? Mother?</em> </b>”</p><p>A bird fell in besides him, flapping frantically to stay ahead, leading him through turns and twists until he spotted his mother, slumped on the ground against a tree trunk.</p><p>“<em> Mother! </em> ” He cried in panic, heart sinking as her head only just lifted. Blood speckled down her front, and his nose wrinkled at the scent of blood and illness that hung in the air. He hurried forward, shaking her arms. “ <em> Mother, please, please, mother! </em>”</p><p>“<em>... Eren…?” </em> She croaked and he purred and shook her harder. </p><p>“<em>Stay with me, stay with me, </em> ” He begged. “ <em> What happened? </em>”</p><p>“<em>Titans, </em> ” She rasped. “ <em> Took down one… didn’t see the other until I collided with it, grabbed-- </em>”</p><p>She coughed, her breath rattled in her chest and it made him sick with worry. He couldn’t lift her, he knew he couldn’t, not with her massive wings adding to her already greater weight. Cool scales brushed his ankle and he looked down, seeing a familiar snake.</p><p><b> <em>Bring her to the Glen</em></b>, The snake hissed. <b> <em>The one further North, separate from Ours. If Empty-Ones come into the Forest, they will not be able to reach Her there.</em> </b></p><p>Eren nodded, head feeling loose on his shoulders as a wolf pack entered the clearing, the frontmost wolf bending its knee to him. He took his mother’s cape off, a long furl of cloth she had gotten used to wearing and laid it on the ground. He took a long sizable stick and rolled it in the top stretch of fabric. </p><p>The first two wolves stepped forward, taking each end of the stick in their mouths. He went over to his mother, pulling her as carefully as he could manage onto the material, she hissed in pain but otherwise didn’t protest. The wolves set off at a slow pace and he tailed them just to make sure his mother wasn’t going to slide off. The glen rose up before them, boulders marking the edges and hiding the inner side from anything that might try to invade. He realized with a sniffle that it was almost a smaller version of the Walls, bracketed by massive trees.</p><p>He got his mom as situated as he could, flying to and from the Nest with furs and blankets to make bedding. They couldn’t get her up high so he had to make her comfortable. His mother sunk to sleep not long after she had gotten settled into her new bedding and he kneeled at her side, fists clenching at his thighs. His eyes grew hot with shameful tears, <em> I should have been here. How long had she been laying on the forest floor? Wasting away?  </em></p><p>His shoulders shook with sobs only just held in. His wings curled down around his shoulders as if to soothe him. Fury roared to life when he opened his eyes again, eyes stuck on the crimson that marked the front of his mother’s tunic. A low rumble started in his chest and he rose to his feet as rain began to fall through the trees above. Far off, he heard the steps of a Titan and the growl doubled, his fists clenched, talons pressing dangerous to his skin.</p><p>A wolf walked forward again, eyes a glittering brown, something clenched in its teeth. He recognized it, his mother’s blade. She must have dropped it when she had fallen. He took it, one hand wrapped around the hilt and the other hand coming to trace the blade with a nail. He frowned, his mother only had one, the Scouts had two, if not more, sheathed at their hips. </p><p>Eren placed his mother’s blade where it belonged, at her side, within reach should she need it. He was up in the air again, a destination held firm in mind. He needed to raid the Scout’s building.</p><p> </p><p>It was a strange thing, broken down and dusty, but still, they visited it at least half the times he had seen them, sometimes leaving things and other times taking things. He crept up to the front of it, fearful someone might be inside before easing open the unlocked door. He supposed they didn’t have to fear anyone breaking into them, until now that is.</p><p>Confident it was devoid of human life, he strode in, closing the door behind him to avoid drawing attention. The first thing to meet his eye was a dusty set of beds and a table, off to the left, the majority of the empty space, was filled with racks. Hung on the walls were sets of black vines, all neat and coiled like a striking viper. The set of racks closest to him had odd silver cylinders, he could only just recognize them as pieces of the odd boxes the Scouts wore at their hips. He dismissed them, not interested in the slightest. He went past them, frowning until he found his quarry. </p><p>Sets of blades without hilts were all slotted in with each other, he picked one up, careful of the thin edge. He put it back, looking for his next target. Up against the very back wall were the odd rectangles, <em> not interested </em>, he almost turned around before he noticed each was equipped with blade sets and accompanying hilts. He scowled.</p><p>“<em>These are too much to carry back, </em> ” He complained, crossing his arms. “<em>I should only take a set of blades, that’s all I need. </em>”</p><p>Still, it was <em> tempting</em>. To try to use the odd gear that the Scouts used to fly and swing. Eren cursed the sky and then began to gather everything up. </p><p>All the straps made his wing harness look easy! His brows furrowed as he appraised the back plate, there was no way that could sit over his wings and no way it could sit over them. He appraised it, turning and tilting it this way and that. He removed it, pulling the straps out of the piece, and then went about getting everything on right.</p><p>He managed to find a drawn picture, pinned up against the wall closest to the table and used that as some kind of guide, though it lacked any legible words and had no actual directions. It took many failed attempts but soon enough, he was all sorted, though he was reluctant to confirm it. </p><p>He was in the midst of finding out how to attach the odd squares and their <em> machinery </em> when an acidic thought struck him. <em> Wasting time on Stone toys instead of worrying about protecting the Forest or caring for mother! </em></p><p>He ripped everything off, tossing it back to the floor with a snarl. He whirled, ripping two blades (equipped with hilts) out of one of the boxes and marching straight back out of the building, he had no time to waste.</p><p>The storm was getting to its tempest as he went from shadow to shadow, eyes glaring at any flash of Titan skin that dared taint the Forest of his home.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>He wouldn't let it happen. </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Eren was doing this for his mother, for his friends, for the people locked within the Walls. He took firm grip of the blades, singling in on his target, all fear banished from his mind. His wings thundered, feathers slicing the air as he gathered momentum before they stopped, curling tight to his body as he dove. Time seemed to slow as he approached.</p><p>A culmination of memories of the Scouts and his mother carried him through the motion. He twisted, bringing up the blades, sharp edges singing from the velocity. He bared his teeth, twisted and the blades made blessed contact, it felt unlike any meat he had cut before, it gave almost <em> too </em> easily. He let himself plummet a ways before his wings snapped back out, carrying him back upwards in easy beats. </p><p>Steam kissed his skin and he could feel the vague burns as blood evaporated from his skin, the Titan tumbled forward into a boneless heap with a gurgle and he grinned so wide his lips hurt. His blood ran through his veins with satisfaction and invigoration, he could hear more steps further off and leaned over, balancing on his toes, one hand against the bark of the branch below him.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>He could get used to this.</b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed it! This chapter was actually quite a bit longer but again I broke it in half so I wasn't just mashing a lot into one chapter. I originally was going to make Carla's injury a sort of one-chapter thing but I do think she deserves more... that sounds horrific. I mean she deserves more of a spotlight. </p><p>Next chapter will carry us through a death and Eren's return to the Walls and reunion with his friends just in time for <i> training </i>! There's going to be some more (avian-focused) bonding then probably a little time skip to the end of their training with only little blurbs written at certain events. See you in the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Lesson in Loss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the one, buckle in.<br/><b> TRIGGER WARNING </b>: Illness and prolonged effects of such. Tags have been updated to reflect this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You should've seen it, Hannes!" Oum shouted, arms thrown wide like he was measuring a length of cloth. "It must have been this big!"</p><p>"What was?" Hannes retorted, brow raised in disbelief.</p><p>"This great big--<em> BIRD </em> thing- it was flying above the horses--"</p><p>"Were you drunk on watch again?" Hannes ‘tsk’ed, crossing his arms. “A giant bird, <em> really </em>?”</p><p>"Mae, Syd, you saw it didn't you?! You were there with me!" As shouting and complaining ensued, Hannes let his thoughts drift, eyes catching on a small red bird flying through the sky. Some great big bird <em> thing </em>the size of a man, how laughable. He shook his head, pacing away as Oum went into another round of vehement shouting. </p><p>He breathed a sigh, the man wouldn’t shut up about it for hours, he was sure.</p><p>Hannes reached into his pocket for his flask, unscrewing the cap and taking a swig. He immediately sputtered, blinking in shock at the lack of taste.</p><p>“What the hell?!” Hannes blurted, dumping liquid into his palm only for it to be colorless and clear. Water. He was flabbergasted. “... <em> Armin </em>, you little shit."</p><p>He let out a dramatic sigh, putting his flask away, useless it was to him now. Of course the blonde kid had snuck it away from him last time he had visited them. He probably had dumped it into the dirt, <em> what a waste </em>, he wanted to whine.</p><p>He shook his head and thought with a pang of pride, <em> gutsy though. </em></p><p>Armin and Mikasa had taken the fall of their home district surprisingly well. He supposed it came with being young. Armin’s grandfather was the one who was left struggling, though the kids tried to do farming and manual labor to help him. It didn’t help that rumors of a suicide expedition was planned to take place soon, he couldn’t bear the thought of Armin and Mikasa, thrown to the wolves. </p><p>His brow knitted, he wouldn’t let that happen. Not to them.</p><p>He mused awhile longer, thoughts drifting here and there. Though Mikasa and Armin had adjusted well enough, they were still far more somber, especially when Eren had gone missing that night. The two were determined that he had left with his mother, but where had they gone? Into the inner walls? Into a secure district? Had Eren’s mother never made it and he himself just wasted away in an alley somewhere? The two children had described the older boy as a stubborn mule.</p><p>He sighed, what a mess.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>"<em>Mother</em>," Eren called softly, hands cupped around a steaming mug. He kneeled down at her side, offering it to her. Hazy brown eyes opened, catching on Eren but only just holding there. Her visage had become paler over the course of her being sick, she had become skinnier too, more gaunt, her feathers had dulled.</p><p>"Eren?" She asked and he nodded, offering the mug again. She managed to take it with a steady grip, letting the steam curl up into her face before taking small sips. "Thank you."</p><p>"You're welcome," Eren replied in turn, she had started to do that, switching languages at random. A troubled look pulled his face when she put all her attention into drinking more. He had gotten used to brewing teas for her, though it was hard to figure out the right herbs and plants to go into it. </p><p>He chewed his lip, glancing aside. Her bruises and scrapes had healed already, her feathers were once more neat and tidy (thanks to Eren's routine of grooming them every few days since she couldn't do it herself right now), but her illness has only gotten worse. He didn’t understand and she offered no response to his prodding. </p><p>Summer had come and passed, the chilling and foreboding air of Autumn was already seated in the forest. He hoped she would be better before Winter, they had lots of things to put in order. It was hard alone.</p><p>He tended to his mother between addressing forest-wide issues and with what little time he had left to himself, he spent it slaughtering Titans until they started to avoid the forest borders. </p><p>He shoved his anger aside, sitting with his mother as a breeze rustled high above. Once his mother had finished her drink, she fell back to sleep.</p><p>“<em>Please, let her get better, </em> ” He begged the sky, peeking down through the branches. “<em>Please. </em>”</p><p>When evening came, he did one last patrol around the woodlands, a solemnity in every wing stroke. When was the last time he had just enjoyed flying? The twists, the turns, the drops? Just revel in the feeling of the wind sliding between his feathers?</p><p>He let himself swoop down towards the ground, drifting out into the plains at a languid pace. He scowled when his eyes landed upon the Scouts building, but he still swung his legs forward to land, wings folding as he walked up to the door.</p><p>A cursory sniff revealed no Scout presence and he stepped inside again.</p><p>The harness and gear was still strung across the ground, where he had abandoned it in his frustration and blossoming grief. Maybe he should give it another try.</p><p>He set aside his set of borrowed blades, their edges growing thin with every other sharpening. He needed to replace them.</p><p>But for right now, he picked up the abandoned harness. </p><p>He only got it right once the sun had begun to set, he turned his shoulders this way and that, wrinkling his nose at the sensation of extra straps on his limbs, especially taking distaste in the straps that would’ve been sitting or running across the wing harness straps. He frowned, he supposed if he ever used these he <em> would </em> be wearing the wing harness right? No use otherwise.</p><p>He’d remember to try it sometime. For right now, he had to figure out how to attach the object that made up the actual flying-<em> hiss </em>-thing. It was surprisingly easy, though he had to lift his wings straight up towards the ceiling to be able to get everything hooked in properly. A few small adjustments and he was tentatively done. </p><p>He had made sure to grab a set that already had the black-vines attached to the hilts of the swords. </p><p>He tested the first <em> ‘trigger </em>’ (as labeled on an up-close diagram in a book he had found in the sparse shelf hidden way towards the back, he had no idea how to pronounce it), startling with a shriek when a metal hook shot out and embedded itself in the wooden wall before him. He reached out and grabbed the line, yanking on it. It didn’t budge.</p><p>He then tested the second trigger, giving another yelp as he was thrown off balance. His wings snapped out, flapping in panic and creating a ruckus of noise as well as crashes as the table behind him was upturned.</p><p>He winced, looking at the mess he had caused before coughing at the dust that flew up his nose. He stepped outside, looking at the tree-line, he supposed there was only one real way to actually test this thing out. Though, night had sunken in quickly and made it hard to see despite his enhanced vision, he would have to try in the morning. </p><p>He made sure to check on his mother first thing when he woke up, chirring in delight when he found her sat up and busying herself with sewing a ruined garment. He had brought her sewing things down from the Nest in case she needed entertainment and they had always found themselves ruining clothes in one way or another. All it took was too sharp of a turn and a shirt hem could catch on a branch and tear. </p><p>He got her breakfast and then took off to do his patrols. He was pleased to find not a single Titan footprint ringing the whole forest. As he flew and looked, his thoughts fell back to his mother and the hope that had swallowed up his heart. She was getting better, finally.</p><p>He couldn’t wait for her to be up and about again, flying again! They could go and adventure again like they had when he was younger. He couldn’t fly then but she had always carried him along, she had always been so strong.</p><p> </p><p><em> “One hundred and twenty four kilometers, </em> ” <em> She hummed as she drew charcoal across the parchment in her hands. They had landed in a field, Eren poking a stick at a bug skittering around in the dirt. He stuck his tongue out when it escaped down into a tiny burrow. </em></p><p><em> He turned, walking over and trying to peek at what his mother was doing. He already knew she was marking things down on the map but he wanted to </em> see <em> it. He tried standing on his tiptoes but he was only seven and much too short. </em> </p><p><em> He frowned, giving a disgruntled huff. This was just a great big empty field, why was she marking it down at all? And this was their last stop before returning home, he wanted to see something new. Like the Stone! These trips were always going </em> away <em> from it. </em></p><p>
  <em> Eren tested his stick’s weight, waving it around in the air, before turning and with a smug smile, poked his mother’s wing. She glanced backwards, an affronted look on her face before going back to her parchment. Another poke later and she growled, “Eren, knock it off.” </em>
</p><p><em> “I’ll stop, I’ll stop!” He squeaked, looking away and at the midday sun. Again, she went back to her task and the smile crept up again. </em>Poke.</p><p>
  <em> “Eren!” She snapped, fruitlessly grabbing at the stick as he danced away from her. “You’re gonna get it!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Have to catch me first!” He took off and with glee, he realized his mother was on his tail. Gone was the genuine irritation on her face, shifted to something of fake anger and real amusement.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She would be back to it soon, he knew it. </p><p>Patrol done, mother tended to, and forest swept, he had time to try the gear.</p><p>He took a running start before leaping as he had seen the Scouts do many a time, hooks shooting out. The first seated itself deep in the bark of his target, while the right hook went wide, bouncing off the hard exterior and he shouted as he was yanked up and to the left. His wings hurt more than helped, their panicked flailing sending him spinning. </p><p>“Shit!” He cursed as he managed to right himself, just in time for his new momentum to carry him past where his hook dug into the wood and then into a swing around the right side of the tree. <em> Go time. </em></p><p>He tried aiming his right hook again, grinning in excitement when he heard it catch. He pulled the lever on his left, pulling his left line back in. <em> This was easy! </em></p><p>As his weight shifted onto the right one, he heard an ominous creak and then he was plummeting with a screech. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when his wings caught him and he hovered in place, sweat beading down his brow. He flew over to the right tree, frowning as he realized the wood had splintered and his hook hadn’t been dug in deep enough to hold steady with his weight, especially with the extra bulk of his muscled back limbs. </p><p>He went at it again and again, growling and hissing when he missed his marks or he was sent falling to one side or the other again. Other times, his wings flung out almost as if they had a mind of their own, slowing him down and unbalancing him.</p><p> </p><p>After the third time they had done it, he went back to the Nest to grab his wing harness. It took a little longer than it used to, but he got all his feathers tucked in and the straps situated. It had been modified since he last wore it, an added release on the front for dire situations. He pulled the gear’s straps back on, grimacing as his predictions were true. The lines that went over his shoulders ran beneath the straps of the gear harness.</p><p>Otherwise, it was still a comfortable fit. He nodded in satisfaction before pulling it all back off, it was almost midday, he had spent enough time on it. There would always be tomorrow to pick it up again.<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>He flicked steaming blood off his right blade, a snarl marring his features as the body fell to the ground with a thud. He glanced back over at the other two bodies (one pretty much already gone), and the other still bones. A trio of Titans had wandered in on the western side, though they didn’t get very far in before their lives were claimed. </p><p>Still, anger bubbled under his skin, both at the Titans and himself. On the second Titan, Eren hadn’t sliced deep enough and a wild swipe of a hand had almost struck his right wing and sent him spiralling. </p><p>Titans taken care of, he returned to his mother’s side, worry and sadness tearing down what anger he felt and washing it away. The first frost had sent his mother plummeting back into listlessness, all marks of recovery destroyed. What weight she had put back on was gone again, his brows tilted upwards and he gave a shaky breath.</p><p>“<em>Mother? </em> ” He called, voice gentle, but she did not stir. He sighed, sitting back on his heels. He almost got up to go before her breath stuttered. He froze, ice racing through his veins and seizing his lungs. “... <em> Mother? </em>”</p><p>His voice was small.</p><p>Her eyes cracked open, before a smile pulled her lips. “<em>Vögelchen. </em>”</p><p>He crowded closer, she hadn’t used that nickname for him for years. Some strange word, not of their bird-speech but one (among others) he had learned over time. </p><p>“<em>Sing with me</em>,” She said and his heart twisted with emotion. He never liked singing but she did, his mother loved to sing. He nodded, sitting down with her and ignoring the neglected bowl of stew she couldn’t stomach. </p><p>“<em>Okay</em>.”</p><p>They sang together, a blend of words and their avian noises, her fingers sluggishly groomed his wings all the while. A few times, she stopped singing, just crooning along as best she could before picking it back up again. A few times, he caught his eyes growing warm before denial swam up and dragged it back down, <em> no. No. </em>His mother wasn’t dying.</p><p>
  <em> She couldn’t be. </em>
</p><p>Her singing became thready and dropped again and he glanced at her, about to send her a look, to find her low-lidded eyes glassy, her wings slack against the ground, her fingers motionless in his feathers. He searched her face frantically, throwing himself to his knees.</p><p>“<em>Mother?! </em> ” Terror and grief made his hands shake. <em> No, no, no, no. </em> He croaked again, “<em>Mom...? </em>”</p><p>He pressed his ear to her chest. Utter silence.</p><p>It couldn't be, it couldn't be real. It was too soon, too sudden, too-</p><p>Not a breath, not a beat.</p><p>She was dead.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> She was dead…? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The sky didn’t respond to his screams.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>His fingers held the feather gingerly, spinning it as he marveled at it. Such an odd color. Not blue enough to belong to any blue jay and much too big to match a green hummingbird’s. </p><p>He set it down, picking up the second feather, it was aged and a little more worse for wear but was still a shiny golden brown. He put them side by side and as was expected of feathers, they were almost identical in shape. </p><p>He re-picked up the blue-green one, mind falling back to when he’d found it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He had been in the middle of writing another report, dipping his pen into an ink pot when the door to his office was thrown open, his brow furrowed, an angry remark already at the tip of his tongue. He was unimpressed when it turned out to be Hange at his door, though her face was torn between excited and grave.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You need to come see this, Levi,” She spoke in a rush before jogging back out. He was up in a moment, heart beginning to speed despite himself. What could have happened now? Another breach? No, Hange would take it far more serious despite her typical character. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He chased after her, a few of his squadmates falling in line as they crossed paths. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What’s going on, Captain?” Petra asked, looking worried. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “No idea,” Levi answered, jerking his head in the direction of the hurrying Hange. “She hasn’t said anything yet.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> When they ran out into the courtyard, Levi stopped short, blinking as he took in the group of horses standing before them all. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “... What…?” Hange finally turned on her heel. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “They returned to the gate.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But how?” Mike asked. “They followed us?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hange’s hand went to her chin in thought. “It's too big of a time gap, they would have been back days after we returned to our Rose Headquarters.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Levi stepped forward, grimacing as some horses looked far worse for wear than others. One horse moved among the group with a noticeable limp, another had a sizable wound down one hindquarter. Petra had already stumbled forward, hands tracing a chestnut horse’s face, she lurched forward, hugging its neck. The horse just lowered its head, leaning into the contact. These horses had always developed close bonds to their dedicated riders, made them harder to spook and rare for them to buck their rider off. It was also a mention-able morale boost, having a near infallible companion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He himself froze when he spotted a familiar black coat, his own feet moving forward. The black fur had given way to shades of dirtied brown, dried mud almost hid away the white pastern marking on her back right leg. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He had always told himself, don’t get attached. He had been burnt by loss too many times, but she had been reliable beyond any other horse he had ridden into titan infested land. The moment those dark eyes landed on him, her ears swung forward and she trotted up, her reins dangled in the air, torn in two, one side markedly shorter than the other. His hand moved off its own accord, petting up and down her muzzle.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Glad you’re alive,” Levi said, hand sliding up to sweep aside her long forelock, revealing a dusty white star. He knew the horses would be lost when the Scouts were forced to abandon them, some lucky sods managing to hold onto theirs throughout it all, he didn’t have the luxury. But, he had known too, the horses would be just fine out in the wild, the Titans wanted nothing to do with them and there were truly few predators that would take them on.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He undid her bridle, letting the ruined and cracked leather fall to the ground. The moment the bit fell free, the horse smacked her lips, jaw flexing and unflexing as she got used to not having the metal piece in her mouth.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He had never given her a proper name, as if that would prevent him from forming a close bond, but as he petted, he knew he’d been all wrong.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He was combing his fingers through her (disgustingly matted) mane when he paused, fingers snagging on a stick. He scowled, tugging it free before he realized what he held wasn't a stick at all.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He breathed a sigh through his nose, eyes falling shut. There were a few theories on how the horses had returned; pure luck was the most likely option. But there was the matter of…</p><p>His eyes flickered back open and he looked down at the feathers, both sat on a handkerchief, side by side. A few of the Garrison who had been there to <em> receive </em>the horses, brought up seeing a quote en quote, ‘massive bird thing’. His lips pulled in a displeased line.</p><p><em> How </em> would a bird even think of such a thing? Let alone carry it out. He scoffed to himself.</p><p>Now rumors had swirled and swirled and muddied what little clear facts they had, forming myths of a mythical creature returning the horses to the humans of the Walls. Idiots, all of them.</p><p> </p><p>The blue-green feather glittered up at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope it tugged on your heart strings at least a little :')<br/>Our little bird has a bit of healing to do.</p><p>Also, realized I lied about this chapter carrying us to training, that'll be next chapter and most of its already written so expect that in a couple days or so. It didn't feel right to have Eren's mother die in this chapter and then also simultaneously shove Eren at his friends. He needs to regain his purpose first, seeing as the one thing he has focused on the most is now gone.</p><p>Hope the POV bits weren't <i>too</i> OOC, I've never written Hannes or Levi before really. I wanted to insert them here just to buffer the sadness a little bit. Will admit that this chapter I was a little uncertain if I was happy with, it made me write a lot of things I'm not used to writing, but at the end of it all, I am satisfied. </p><p>See yall next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Mourning Blossoms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eren begins to move forward, heart heavy and burdened, but reunites with friends who help him through the hurt and onward unto a future.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Uh,,, did anyone ask for a 10K word chapter,,,</p><p>So, fun fact and sad confession, I wrote this whole thing to 9K words and then proof-read it, got it all re-formatted on AO3 from my docs and then just... deleted it. Completely. I wiped it all and started a new doc and rewrote it from scratch. Did I have a solid reason for doing that? Not really, but it definitely made me like my chapter better the second time writing it, and somehow I mashed an extra 1K words in there. </p><p>Also BONUS, art I did of the way I'll be viewing Eren as his 18 y/o self! I'll probably revisit these and add feathers to his hair but for now, featherless since they're tucked out of sight or removed.<br/><a href="https://jackalcackle.tumblr.com/post/645170390386212864/sf-eren-i">S&amp;F Eren + Sword Bag Idea</a></p><p><b> TRIGGER WARNINGS: </b><br/>Up to the first line-break, Eren is mourning and goes into what can be construed/interpreted as suicidal ideation following an aerial dive.<br/>There's a section further down where Eren engages in what can be taken as self-harm, but not because of mental state, instead in the whole AOT shifter <i>hurt self to transform</i> sense.<br/>Lastly, there is mention and description of a bone breaking!</p><p>Enjoy the chapter! Oh, and thank you for all the wonderful comments, they warm my heart!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He only pulled himself together enough to bury her. By hand, he dug a grave in the grove, nestling it between two thick roots from the tree that would be wreathed with blossoms when Spring comes. He struggled and sweated but he powered through, his mother deserved the best.</p><p>He laid her to rest, her weight so much lighter than it had been when he had hauled her onto the makeshift sled. He almost breaks down sobbing again but gets her settled in first, placing her sword, wrapped in cloth, atop her. A wordless keen left him and he couldn't bear to clamp down on the sound. </p><p>“<em>Rest now, Mother</em>,” He murmured, only just holding back the emotion that chokes him still. Never did he think he would long for her coughs, for her scolding. He managed to get the grave filled, each hand full making his heart sink deeper into his stomach. This was goodbye. <em> This was goodbye. </em></p><p>Every bit of him ached with fatigue and heartbreak and <em> ImissyouImissyou. </em> This can’t be real.</p><p>He gets the grave filled, taking a handful of feathers and wrapping them with twine. He wrapped them around the tree that marked her grave. Then he takes flight, refusing to acknowledge the weight pressing down on his shoulders. The new responsibility that rests on him and him alone. <em> Him alone. </em></p><p>He keeps flying, his wings keep beating despite the energy leaking out of him as he climbs. He rose above the canopy, something he rarely did despite it being his home, it felt wrong, to see the forest from above like this. He kept going until the clouds coil above his head, the clouds are heavy with their burden. More than anything, he wants it to <em> pour </em>, to soak into his feathers, to send him back down to the ground, to flood the dirt and seal his mother’s grave.</p><p>Anger rises in his chest so fast it leaves his head spinning, his fingers swung out, claws tearing at the clouds and he screeched in unintelligible <em> fury. </em> </p><p>“<em>Give her back! </em>” He screamed, his talons doing nothing but disturbing the thick fluff and leaving trails of vapor. He clawed and kicked and screamed and timbered and hissed, fighting with all the fury his body can muster. The clouds roil with thunder and he rumbles back in defiance, daring lightning to strike him down, but nothing happens. Like that, all anger and fight have leached out of his body, taking all energy with it.</p><p>His wings halted and he tipped back, letting his back come horizontal with the land below. His wings bracketed his arms, feathers reaching up towards the dark clouds like fingers. His descent continued but it all felt like time had slowed, he could feel his hair stand with the energy that danced in the air, but no flash of light blinded him. He knows the trees are less than thirty meters below him.</p><p> </p><p>Twenty-five.</p><p> </p><p>His wings don’t twitch.</p><p> </p><p>Fifteen.</p><p> </p><p>He can’t move.</p><p> </p><p>Seven. </p><p> </p><p>He wondered what would happen if he just let himself continue. </p><p> </p><p>Five.</p><p> </p><p>Four.</p><p> </p><p>Three.</p><p> </p><p>Two.</p><p> </p><p>Self-preservation took over, muddled with anger at himself, his wings flared out and he flipped over in time to bring his forearms up in front of his face, taking the brunt of the lashes from the branches as he slowed. He cried out in pain as the marks burned, he could feel blood well up and trickle down his skin, only to be swept away by leaves and twigs as they snag at him. </p><p>He broke free of the canopy a few moments later, unsteadily gliding through the tree trunks until the Nest appeared before him.</p><p>He collapsed on the edge, clutching at his forearms with a ragged breath.</p><p> </p><p>(“<em> Eren, be more careful!”) </em></p><p> </p><p>His eyes snapped up, looking around with frantic fervor, but nothing greets him besides his own loneliness. His gaze dropped to his wounds.</p><p> </p><p>(“<em> It was just a trick! I wasn’t in danger!” </em></p><p>
  <em> “You almost hit that tree! How’s that not dangerous?!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But I didn’t!”) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Warm tears trickled down his face, memories swimming to the surface. He turned, looking over--</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (--over, finding nothing but the green foliage of the forest, when he turned to look at her, she grinned and shoved him out of the nest. He’d shrieked and pinwheeled as she dove alongside him.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Fly, my little bird, fly," She said in encouragement as he plummeted towards the earth.) </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He hiccuped, drawing his knees to his chest. He could almost see it play out before him.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> ("I can fly!” He whooped as he rose towards his mother who extended a hand with a tearful smile.   </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yes, you can,” She managed to rasp. “My little hatchling’s growing up.”) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She’d been so proud of him. His head turned again, looking over towards the cots.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (She held a blood-red length of cloth to him. He blinked at it in curiosity. “That is a scarf.”   </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She stood up and took the length back before wrapping it around his neck and atop his shoulder. His fingers reached up to brush it.   </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It's so soft and warm," He hummed as he rubbed it between his fingers. ) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The scarf. His head tilted upwards as a drop of water fell onto his forehead, racing down his brow to join his tears. He has half a mind to remember the Scouts cloak still tucked among his beddings.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (“We will go to Shiganshina, together, while this settles down,” His mother said. Eren’s face lit up like a firefly before shuttering with uncertainty and then once more glowing with anticipation.   </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Really?” He asked, almost afraid of the answer.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Yes, ” She replied, calm before pressing two hands onto his shoulders. “You need to be sure that you can handle it.”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I can do it, mom!” He crowed in protest, eager.) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“<em>I don’t think I can do it without you, </em> ” He said to no one, shoulders shuddering with each breath. “ <em> I don’t want to. </em>”</p><p>Thunder rumbled again and when it began to rain in earnest, he let his eyes slip closed, wishing the rain would wash out all the hurt and leave him hollow.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Each morning, he visited her grave. Each day, he missed her. Each day, he cried until his sides ached.</p><p>But each day, an animal came to him and begged something of him, and each day, he attended to their request. It was usually something small, something ridiculous, but it was <em> something</em>. It made him lift his feet, it made him flap his wings, it made him <em> breathe</em>.</p><p>Each <b> <em>thank-you</em> </b> made his heart flutter, it eased away the pain as birds held vigil with him. </p><p>When Spring sunk in right and true, the requests ebbed and he focused instead on the Titans that had begun to invade again. They started tromping through <em> his </em> fields, through <em> his </em> rivers, through <em> his </em> territory. </p><p>He wouldn’t tolerate it. They didn’t belong here. Not where they had struck down his mother, not when they planned to house themselves as they sought to devour humanity. </p><p>The image of Sunheart and Mooneye flashed through his head, followed by Brows and Wildhair, then finished by Silvereye. He felt alone, more alone than he ever had in his life, but the thought of them kept him together. He hardly knew the last three, only knowing the companionship of the first two, but they deserved to live beyond their Walls.</p><p>And if it meant ripping apart every last Titan that breathed, <b> <em>so. be. it.</em> </b> </p><p> </p><p>He threw himself into Titan slaying with new vigor, each night, his wings were left aching, but he felt proud again. Each day, Titan after Titan fell and his forest became <em> his </em> once again. He made sure to leave the rotting corpses outside the boundaries, to send the scent of dead Titan across the plains, to sink in just who this forest belonged to.</p><p>So when he came across a Titan crouched on all fours, he approached with false confidence. He dove down with a victorious snarl, eyes flashing, when the Titan twisted, dodging his blades and skittering sideways. He could do nothing but watch in horror as it grabbed his ankle. His blade was too slow to cut off the fingers.</p><p>His bone shattered with a rotation of its wrist and he screamed in pain, his vision blotting black. </p><p>
  <em> No! I can’t die here. </em>
</p><p>He tore himself free, blade shredding the Titan’s fingers and making it rear back in pain. He fled to a high branch, swallowing wave after wave of nausea as his ankle turned purple and swelled. It was broken, he knew it immediately from the need to vomit and the swarm of agony that infected his bones. The Titan clawed at the tree but it was too stupid to figure out how to climb to him. </p><p>He forced out ragged breaths between his teeth, clutching at his thigh with a hand. Uncomfortable heat reached up his leg, soaking into his shin and he grimaced as the pain ebbed, he waited for it to return. </p><p>Eren forced himself to open his eyes, dropping back to his wounded leg before every inch of him froze.</p><p>Steam twirled off his skin. Had he gotten Titan blood on him?</p><p>He knew he hadn’t.</p><p>Then how— The purple color of his ankle was fading, the swelling disappearing with it.</p><p>New nausea wracked him and he stumbled backwards against the tree trunk. He swallowed gasps of air, panic rising up to squeeze his ribs.</p><p>He was healing like <em> them</em>.</p><p>Hate and terror and disbelief and disgust curled into a virulent ball - the Titan below roared. His chin dropped to his chest, hair falling in a curtain around his eyes. This couldn’t be possible. He had to be imagining it. </p><p>He walked to the edge of the branch, refusing to acknowledge the lack of pain or what should have been a lack of mobility in his ankle, and dropped onto the Titan’s head. It barely had time to look up at the promise that glimmered in his eyes and blade before it was toppling to the ground, dead.</p><p>Eren leant listless against the bottom of the trunk for a moment.</p><p>He stuck out his arm, looking at the fading scars from his fall through the tree canopy. It couldn’t be real, these wounds wouldn’t have existed. They would’ve healed.</p><p>But he had heard the cracking of bone, felt the surge of heat, and utter pain that raced up his leg.</p><p>He looked to his hunting blade at his side. He pulled it out, laying its edge against his skin and drawing a shallow line atop his forearm, careful to avoid the old scrapes. </p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p>He breathed a shaky breath, hesitating before going at it again, pressing deeper. He winced in pain but watched the wound.</p><p>To his abject horror, steam rose in thin tendrils as the skin stitched shut.</p><p>How…?</p><p>He didn’t understand. It didn’t make sense. His wounded mind was twisted in too many directions; he cared not for the why, not for the how, not anymore.</p><p>He could heal his injuries in moments.</p><p>He had always been a fast healer, but this was something else entirely. He was healing like a Titan. </p><p>He couldn’t help the tight, mirthless laugh that left him before he blacked out.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Eren flew out in the morning, head too confused and heart too full. He needed away. Still, he took a few of the feathers from the grave marker, tying a piece of twine and creating a necklace. </p><p>He only just remembered to call to the forest, “<b><em>I am departing. Stay safe.</em> </b>”</p><p>He didn’t pay mind to the calls of acknowledgement and wishes for his own safety. He soared high in the sky, ignoring the flesh colors smudges on the landscape, eyes too focused on the grey Stone-Wall far in the distance. </p><p><em> Sunheart, Mooneye</em>, <em> I’m coming. </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He flew over the ruined Shiganshina, nostalgia and longing multiple in his chest as he glided downwards towards it. He could see the roof Mikasa was trapped under, he flew over the small field (funny how it looked so much bigger than just a yard when he was younger) they had spent so many hours in, his eyes caught on the stairs he had chased bullies down, hissing and spitting like an angry cat as they fled with cries of, <em> freak! </em> </p><p>He remembered huffing in self-satisfaction, turning on his heel to grin at Armin. </p><p>He landed in front of the house his Mother and he had spent months in. It was almost untouched beyond some rubble on the right side of the roof. He let himself in, teeth burying themselves in his lip as the door swayed open, unlocked. It made sense, why would she bother locking it?</p><p>His hand lingered on the door, a lump choking him as he realized the last person to touch it had been his mother. He continued in, a sorrowful whine leaving him as his hand traced over the now dusty countertop. His mother would’ve hated it being so dirty. </p><p>He entered her room, her scent still lingering in the corners despite the many days that have passed. He can’t bear to be in there too long and he closes the door behind him as he leaves. He went into his room next, dropping down and pulling the wooden box from under his bed. His mother had gotten it for his belongings when he had started leaving various trinkets laying around.</p><p>He only looks at a few, mostly shiny things before he tucks it all back where it belongs, sliding the box to rejoin the dust beneath the bed.</p><p>These things belong to the house now. It wasn't right of him to take them.</p><p> </p><p>He closed the house door behind him, this time taking hold of the spare key that he found in the kitchen jar and locking it. No one had the right to enter it ever again.</p><p>He took flight again, the evening time soaking the world in shades of orange. He found himself half way over Wall Maria when hate ignited in his belly again. He had a moment of whishing he had brought the flying gear with him but shook it away. He didn’t need it. His swords were just fine in a large leather bag specifically fashioned and shaped to hold them, he didn’t need two clunky metal boxes at either hip. Those would be harder to hide anyways.</p><p>He took his time as best he could, he didn’t want to land on the opposite side of Wall Rose until night had fallen. He kept high, tucked up with the dark clouds disguising his silhouette into just a bird soaring. When the orange had faded to dark purple, he let himself descend, still careful to land amongst dark buildings.</p><p>A few practiced motions and then his wings are secured in their harness, he pulls on a normal Stone shirt, tucking away his open-backed one into his knapsack. No use tearing it apart or just ditching it in the alley. Eren yanked on his cloak as well, pulling the hood up to hide the feathers glimmering in his hair until he can pin them down or pluck them out. He re-shouldered his bag, careful to stick to the shadows as he picked his way to where the refugee camp used to be set up. </p><p>He scowled in displeasure to find the area cleared out, replaced by those <em>merchant</em> stalls. He catches sight of a man, dressed in a Stone uniform, one with the rose stitched on the chest. He perked up, approaching at an easy pace. His heart thundered with his nerves but there’s nothing, <em> nothing </em> that gives away anything about him, he was sure of it. The man raised a brow and his nerves were instantly back, regret flaring in every inch of his being.</p><p>
  <em> This was a mistake, this was a mistake, idiot! </em>
</p><p>“Uhm,” Eren started, blinking as his voice refused to work. Were his words even going to sound right? He was so out of practice! “Wh…”</p><p>The man seemed just as confused as him. “... Can I help you, kid?”</p><p>Something about this man was familiar. Eren squinted at him; he was tall, fair-skinned, blonde, light-eyed, slight flush to his skin…</p><p>“Kid, are you okay? Staring’s rude, you know...”</p><p>It struck him and he wanted to punch himself. This was the man that had brought Armin and Mikasa and himself to Mr. Arlert! H-Han-</p><p>“Hannes!” Eren blurted. “Remember you now!”</p><p>Hannes blinked at him a few times, speechless. </p><p>“Met you when Shiganshina fell!” Eren continued and the man’s countenance darkened. “Met you with <em> S- </em>Armin! And Mikasa!”</p><p>That seemed to drive it home and Hannes jerked backward, surprise on his face. “Eren, right?”</p><p>“Yes! I’m Eren.”</p><p>“Holy Walls, kid,” Hannes said, incredulous. “You’re alive.”</p><p>Eren tilted his head in confusion. “Why wouldn’t be?”</p><p>“Well, you kinda disappeared,” The man said, brow raised. “Armin and Mikasa said you were fine though, guess I should’ve listened. Nice to see you’re okay, Eren. You get back to your mom?”</p><p>Eren’s face shuttered, eyes dropping to the ground and Hannes’ face morphed into something sympathetic. </p><p>“She didn’t make it?” </p><p>“She did,” Eren answered, voice quiet as he wrung his hands together, heartache doubling. “She got sick after and…”</p><p>Hannes nodded, placing a hand on Eren’s shoulder, making the boy startle and look up at the man. He was surprised to find a sad smile on his face.</p><p>“Sorry to hear,” Hannes said, patting his shoulder. “What are you doing here then? Another family member lives around here?”</p><p>Eren shook his head. “Only had mom. Here to see Armin and Mikasa, wanted make sure they were okay.”</p><p>Hannes just gave another sad nod and Eren feared the worst.</p><p>“I can take you to ‘em,” Hannes said, already walking down the road and Eren breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “They ended up moving the camp a bit up the way.”</p><p>Eren listened as the man chattered on.</p><p>Hannes rolled his eyes, “They said it was hurting business, having a camp set up in the gate plaza. Load of crap if you ask me, these people helped those stalls the most. Where else would they spend their money?”</p><p>Eren hummed, a little confused by the jumble of words but the non-response seemed to satisfy Hannes as they kept walking. </p><p>“Especially after that ridiculous ‘<em>operation</em>’. May as well call it what it is.”</p><p>“What happened?” Eren asked, glancing aside at the man. Hannes’ face darkened and he sighed. </p><p>“It was tough feeding the refugees in fall, it was even worse feeding them in winter. The government announced they were launching an operation to ‘reclaim Wall Maria’. They sent thousands of people, including Armin’s grandfather.”</p><p>Eren’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Did… did they…”</p><p>“Only a little over a hundred survived.” Hannes’ brow knitted and he breathed a heavy breath through his nose, turning his head to look at Eren over his shoulder and waving a hand in the air.</p><p>“Sorry, sorry,” Hannes said. “Not the topic of polite conversation. You’re already down in the dumps, bad thing to bring up.”</p><p>Eren was even more perplexed by that but shoved it aside to ask, “Armin’s grandfather is dead?”</p><p>Hannes nodded and Eren just bowed his head. He hardly knew the man but he had always taken care of Mikasa and Armin all on his own, he had always encouraged Armin to read. </p><p>
  <em> I’m sorry, Sunheart.  </em>
</p><p>Hannes cleared his throat, “Anyhow, while you’re around, just want to let you know not to listen to every rumor that might come up. Lots of people might talk about the walls being breached again or a giant bird swooping down from the heavens, just ignore ‘em. They’re just trying to cause panic.”</p><p>A sliver of ice grew in his heart. “Giant… bird?”</p><p>“Yeah, my squad-mate won’t stop blabbering about it to anyone who will listen,” Hannes scoffed. “Ah, here we are. Some people are asleep and have to work at daybreak so let’s do our best to keep it down, hm?”</p><p>Eren nodded in agreement, assuming it was like walking by a sleeping bear or wolf and putting his weight on his toes to avoid making noise. Hannes glanced back in confusion a few moments later, squinting down at Eren.</p><p>“You don’t have to be that quiet, kid,” He said. “<em>Yeesh</em>, I thought you’d wandered off.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Eren answered sheepishly, ducking his head and letting his feet make noise as they continued on. They came, at last, to a small tent, an equally small fire burning outside the front flap. </p><p>“Armin, Mikasa, you awake?” Hannes called, rapping his knuckle against the wooden post on the front of it. “Got a surprise visitor for you.”</p><p>Eren smothered his suspicion and anxiety to focus on the elation and excitement beating against his breastbone. A hand parted the curtain of material and a pair of blue eyes glanced out, glimmering with curiosity and confusion. Armin stared at him, eyes widening in surprise first. He looked almost exactly like Eren remembered, though his cheeks were a little skinny, his jaw had begun to fill out and his hair had gotten a little longer. </p><p>“...Eren?” Armin breathed, before lunging forward to engulf him in a tight hug. Eren hugged back the instant later, all fear and apprehension washed away by relief. Armin squeezed so tightly it almost hurt and he could feel tears soaking into his shirt. Armin hiccuped, “You’re okay.”</p><p>“I’m okay,” Eren repeated, tightening his hug and wishing he could bring his wings out to further envelope his friend in utmost safety. “And I’m here, Sunheart, I’m here.”</p><p>The tent opened again and out came Mikasa. Like Armin, her cheeks were a little too gaunt for his liking, her hair had gotten even longer, and the joyous warmth soaking into every bone doubled as he realized she was still wearing the red scarf, the color not a shade paler. She didn’t hesitate, the moment her eyes met his, she lurched forward to join in the hug. He pulled one arm away from the blonde boy to let her in. </p><p>“You’re alive,” She gasped too, embracing him even tighter than Armin had. </p><p>“I am,” Eren replied in a whisper. “I missed you so much.”</p><p>The three sat there in the firelight for minutes, just soaking in each other’s presence. Soaking in their relief, their happiness, their love. </p><p>When they finally parted, Hannes had stoked the fire, a warm smile on his face. “I’ll leave you all to it then, have a goodnight, you three.”<br/>
“Goodnight, Hannes!” Armin and Mikasa replied as the man walked off before Armin turned back to Eren.</p><p>The blonde boy sniffled before speaking, “Eren, is your mother--is she okay, too?”</p><p>The pang of grief was tempered by the lingering affection still swirling in his every inch. He shook his head, brows tilting upwards as he fought away the tears that still threatened to overtake him. “She died, seven days ago now. Fell ill after Titan attack.” </p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, Eren,” Armin said, brows knitting with sadness. Mikasa sent him a sympathetic gaze as well, squeezing his hand. It was a foreign gesture but it was reassuring. Eren just bowed his head for a moment.</p><p>“She died, singing,” Eren said, the words spilling from his lips. “She died without… hurting.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Armin said, Mikasa giving a gentle nod in agreement, making her hair swing about her face. </p><p>“Heard about your grandfather,” Eren said next, words careful as Armin’s expression flicker with pain. “Shouldn’t have to hurt like that.”</p><p>Armin just gave him a sad smile.</p><p>“Are you going to be staying, Eren?” Mikasa asked after a lapse of silence. “Or are you going back home?”</p><p>He shook his head, taking hold of both of their hands with a firm grip, like he won't ever let go. “Not leaving if I can help it.”</p><p>The two seemed relieved. </p><p>“Your speech has improved,” Armin complimented and Eren grinned.</p><p>“Have practiced!” He boasted, puffing his chest out before he ducked a little, an embarrassed smile on his face. “For when I came back. Not many book to use though.”</p><p>“Books,” Armin corrected, almost out of habit before he huffed a laugh. “I imagine there wouldn’t be that many, all things considered.”</p><p>The three of them continued to chat about things that had happened, uncaring for the time that passed and the light that stained the horizon purple and orange with the new sunrise.</p><p>When the sun had only just cracked the horizon, many people began to awaken from their tents, a low hum rising over the camp. He slowly realized many of them were young, <em> really </em> young. He scowled, they had sent most of the elder people and adults to die, leaving their kids to languish. He could feel his lips pull over his teeth in the beginning of a growl. He stared as Mikasa and Armin, too, put out their fire for good and, one at a time, went into their tent to exit with different clothes on.</p><p>Armin had changed into trousers that were scuffed at the knee and a too-big hat sat on his head; Mikasa had changed into a long skirt that, too, was dirtied at the knees and shins. He tilted his head in confusion, poking Armin in the back of the head.</p><p>“Where go?” Eren inquired, tilting his head the other way as Armin stared at him a moment.</p><p>“Oh, me and Mikasa have to go work,” Armin responded, a weary smile on his face. “We tend the fields.”</p><p>“Tend fields?” It was Eren’s turn to stare in confusion. <em> Tend </em> fields? <em> Tend to </em> fields? What care could a field possibly need? It was a <em> field </em>!</p><p>“I’ll have to explain better later,” Armin replied with a laugh. “I forget you don’t know about life in the Walls. Me and Mikasa will be gone until the evening so just, stay here, okay?”</p><p>“Stay--” Eren stuttered out like it was bitter. “Will not stay, I go with you.”</p><p>“You can’t just come, Eren,” Armin chided, frowning now.</p><p>“Why not?” </p><p>“We could ask the overseer if she needs another worker,” Mikasa piped up, re-wrapping her scarf around her neck and pulling the ends over her head before tucking them back in, he stared in marvel as he realized she had made a hood out of it. He went over, eyes tracing the way it wrapped in amazement. Mikasa smiled and seemed to catch on, taking it off and then putting it back on again. “I imagine that old ox she has pales in comparison to Eren here.”</p><p>Armin came over, a considering look on his face before shrugging. “It's worth a shot. C’mon, Eren, let me explain a few things to you before we go.”</p><p> </p><p>It was almost a mini-lesson, Armin taught him a few manners (<em> “Yes, ma’am”, “No, ma’am”, “Yes, sir”, “No, sir” </em>) and then told him he couldn’t take his cloak with him. </p><p>“It’ll get dirty and it’ll make you all sweaty,” Armin explained, nose wrinkled at the thought. Eren had reluctantly pulled it off, ears hiding between his shoulders at their looks of amazement at the feathers in his hair. He set about hiding the ones he could, Mikasa helping with dexterous fingers, for the most part they obeyed the ministrations. Though, at the end of it, he did end up plucking one feather because it refused to lay flat. He hissed in brief pain before handing the feather over to Armin. The blonde boy looked fascinated by it but terrified of damaging it as he went and tucked it into the tent, between pages of a book. </p><p>Mikasa had been staring at his back and Eren smiled.</p><p>“They still there,” He said and pushed them upwards for a moment and she looked amazed before he let them lay flat again.</p><p>“I can barely see them. How do they just… vanish?” He shrugged in response.</p><p>“Just do.”</p><p>“Alright, come on, the wagon’s almost here,” Armin called, already halfway across the camp. Mikasa and Eren jogged to catch up, he frowned when he saw most of the people gathered at the road were either very young or very old. His brow knit as the only other teen his age among the group looked frail and ill. His skin prickled with warning to keep his friends away from that one, heart too scarred by the effects of disease on someone he cherished. </p><p>There was the sound of clunking and then indeed, a large wagon came rolling down the road, pulled by a big hairy hoofed-beast. He flinched backwards as it let out a loud huff and he looked to Armin.</p><p>“What that?” He asked in a low whisper.</p><p>“Oh, that’s an ox,” Armin answered. “They’re sort of rare, after Wall Maria fell.”</p><p>“How come?”</p><p>“They eat a lot and need space, it's like having a cow. A lot of people just use big horses, they usually can pull more too but they’re sort of expensive, not as expensive as the Sina horses though.”</p><p>Half of it went over Eren’s head; all he gathered was horses were better, the end. Looking at the massive thing, he agreed. The wagon came to a stop in front of them, an older woman seated on the front of it. She looked over Eren a moment before glancing over to Armin who approached her.</p><p>“This is our friend,” Armin started, nervously scuffing his toe against the cobblestone. “He’s strong and can work.”</p><p>Her gaze flickered back to Eren, eyes running up and down before giving a sharp nod. “Looks it to me, hop on in, kid.”</p><p>Then they all jumped up into the wagon. The ox gave a low groan before continuing to pull, taking them back up the road. Eren decided he did not like oxes (“<em>Its oxen, Eren - no, I don’t know why it's not oxes--”) </em>.</p><p> </p><p>It was a bit of a ride and Eren was content to look around at the passing surroundings with curiosity while the other kids murmured amongst themselves. Mikasa and Armin even chimed in, talking about things he didn’t really care to listen to. Something about shifts and rotations. When they took a turn that led up a long dirt path, the chatting died down and he saw that the kids each looked like they were steadying themselves. </p><p>The wagon rolled to a stop and the woman ushered them off, “Armin, go take your friend to see the lady.”</p><p>“Got it, thanks Marie!” The woman just waved him off. “Come on, Eren.”</p><p>He followed close behind, feeling like a tall shadow as Armin led him up onto the house’s <em> porch</em>. A much older woman was sitting in the chair next to the door, pale blue eyes regarding them both with vague annoyance. </p><p>“What’s it now?” Armin folded in on himself.</p><p>“This is Eren, he’s a friend and he’s--” The woman stood and he broke off, eyes falling to the ground. She walked around them in a half-circle, staring straight through Eren. Only his days spent on square-offs with wolves kept him from shuffling his weight. Her arm shot out and grabbed his elbow before yanking his arm straight out. He felt a spark of indignation as his hair stood, his feathers only lying flat by pure force of will. </p><p>Then she let out a grunt, released his arm, and nodded. “We’ll see how he does on the field, if it works out, I’ll add him on. Might even find him some better work than pullin’ weeds.”</p><p>Armin hid his expression but Eren could almost feel the relief radiating off of him as he took Eren’s wrist and pulled him along, the older boy jogging after without complaint. </p><p>“What’d she say?” Mikasa asked when they made it back to her side. </p><p>“If he does good with the field work today, she’ll keep him. She even said something about him working as something else, a stablehand maybe? None of us can haul the bales around.”</p><p>Regret started blooming in Eren’s stomach; maybe he should have stayed back at the tent.</p><p> </p><p><em> Tending </em> the field turned out to be easier than Eren expected, Armin explained that since Spring was almost upon them, they were focusing on pulling weeds and <em> re-tilling </em> the ground. The motions of it all reminded him of skinning and tanning hides, leaving a pleasant burn in his shoulders as he worked. A few times he stopped what he was doing to watch the smaller kids struggle about, Eren had asked Armin why no one helped them when Armin had gotten that sad look on his face again.</p><p>“If we help them, it makes them look useless to the overseers so they report it back to the lady and well, she fires them.”</p><p>“Fires?” Eren balked. “She lights them on fire?”</p><p>“Tells them not to come back,” Armin frowned, his answer seeming lackluster to himself. “So they can’t work anymore and they can’t get money so they…”</p><p>One thing Eren understood well enough was the importance of currency to the Stone people, it seemed to rule every bit of their lives. Even his mother took up a sewing project or two to get some extra money despite how much she had saved.</p><p>A thought struck him like a flash of lightning, she had money saved! She had tucked it away under the floor for safe-keeping. If he took some, it could help Armin and Mikasa! He wanted to drop everything and go but stuck to it, listening to his two friends mutter about this or that. He sated his boredom by focusing on his flight path. </p><p>At noon they had a break and sat beneath a thick tree, relaxing in the cool shade. The two of them seemed exhausted and Eren felt a pang of guilt for keeping them awake all night. Mikasa must have noticed his face because she spoke up, “Eren, are you alright?”</p><p>“Just… thinking, sorry I kept you awake, you needed sleep.” </p><p>“Ah, don’t worry about it, we got at least a couple hours of shut-eye before you showed up,”</p><p>Eren hummed, unconvinced.</p><p> </p><p>It was a little ways past their break when the woman who had driven the wagon here came out to the edge of the field.</p><p>"Eren," She waved him over and he immediately looked to Mikasa and Armin only to see them frantically nodding at him. He got up, brushing himself off, and walked over.</p><p>"Yes?" </p><p>"Congrats, you impressed her," She said. "I'm Marie, if you missed the name. I take care of organizing the workers. You're being bumped up to stablehand, think you can handle it? I'll give you a brief rundown then pass you off to the farrier."</p><p>"Okay," Eren managed to utter as she led him towards the barn. Marie knocked at the open door and then stepped inside, the smell of sweat and animal and metal rising up to clog his nose. </p><p>"You finally got a new hand, Lenny." A man poked his head out of a small room to their left, he wore an odd front covering over his clothes and Eren filed it away to ask Armin about later. </p><p>"Thank the Walls, my back isn't what it used to be," the man was grizzled but he seemed good-natured. "What's your name?"</p><p>"Eren," He answered and the man seemed satisfied. </p><p>"Well then, let's get you started on the basic duties."</p><p> </p><p>It was a lengthy list all told. He was to drag bales from the hay shed and feed the horses in the stalls, giving them a number of grains with it. Then he was to haul the new bales into the shed to keep them safe from the weather, it made no sense to him but he nodded along anyways. After that, he was to brush the horses down, he had paled at the amount of brushes laid out and Lenny had laughed at his face. </p><p>Then, he was to put the horses in the pasture and clean out their stalls. Bring them back in at dusk and feed them and that's all there was to it. Lenny said there might be more added eventually but for now they wanted to see how he did. By the end of his little tour, he was returned to the field just in time for the end of shift to be called and the wagon loaded up with kids yet again.</p><p>"You've only been here a day but you're getting pay as well," Marie said, holding out a handful of money, it probably was a meager amount but he accepted it, passing it off to Armin the moment he could. </p><p>"Eren--" He tried to protest but Eren shook his head. </p><p>"You know how use it, I do not." Armin accepted the concession but still seemed troubled. The moment they made it back to the tent, they made a space for Eren inside and then collapsed on their own <em> bedrolls </em>. For a moment, he debated on whether he was going to tell them of his plans but when he opened his mouth to speak, he could hear the soft snores.</p><p>The two looked <em> exhausted</em>.</p><p>He closed his mouth and shut his eyes, letting himself fall asleep to the sound of their breathing. </p><p> </p><p>He awoke with a yawn, stretching his arms out until they popped. He sat up, licking his lips to chase away dryness. He frowned as he realized his friends had fallen asleep without eating nor drinking anything besides what they'd eaten at noon during the break.</p><p> </p><p>(<em> "Aren't you hungry, Eren?" </em></p><p><em> "No, no, ate before I came. Don't worry about me." </em>)</p><p> </p><p>He tiptoed over the slumbering Armin, sliding out of the tent without a whisper, relieved to see the sun had not yet risen. He had taken a look at their food before he left, a vague disturbed grimace on his face when he realized they had only things made of grain, no meat. That wouldn't do, they needed more than that if they were going to grow strong.</p><p>It was child’s play to take flight over the wall unseen. He scoured Wall Maria’s endless fields, eyes piercing through the gloom and nose working overtime as time ticked away in his head. He caught the scent of something distinct and he lowered himself, careful to not make any abrupt noises. He could just make out the shape of a small head with a beak, peeking out of the grass. </p><p>He zeroed in on it, wings tucking in as he dove, talons at the ready. He struck as quick as he could manage, ending the animal’s life before it knew what had grabbed it. “<b> <em>Thank-you for your sacrifice.</em> </b>”</p><p>It was a bit of a close call when the sky began to change colors but he made it back into his harness by the time it had begun to tinge orange. He dressed down the bird, a pheasant he realized, with practiced ease, bunching the usable plucked feathers with a strip of cloth. From there, it was easy to portion the meat and set it aside. </p><p>He poked into the tent, a happy croon leaving him as he noticed Mikasa sleepily blinking awake. At the noise, she peered over, curiosity and confusion in equal parts. “Eren…?”</p><p>“Got food, come, come, wake Armin,” He urged, leaving the tent and poking the fire to life. He remembered that Stone people didn’t eat meat raw. It was a few moments later when Mikasa walked out, yawning wide, followed by Armin who stretched his arms to the sky. The two looked much better than they had yesterday. They both froze at the meat he had skewered on sticks over the fire. </p><p>“Eren, where- how?! Did you buy that?” Armin blurted, blue eyes huge. Eren grinned, shaking his head.</p><p>“No buy.”</p><p>“<em> Didn’t </em> buy,” Armin corrected, absentminded, before his voice dropped to a hissed whisper. “Did you steal it?”</p><p>Again, he shook his head. “No, I hunt. Went over Wall and caught.”</p><p>“That’s dangerous!” Mikasa interjected, crowding up next to him. “You could’ve been seen.”</p><p>(“--<b> <em>you were seen, nearly caught--”</em> </b>)</p><p>“I’m careful,” He huffed, offering her the first stick. “Worth risk, for you.”</p><p>As Mikasa took it with careful fingers, he handed the other one to Armin who also accepted it. The two ate in silence for a few moments.</p><p>“What about you, Eren?” Armin questioned. “You’re gonna eat too, right?”</p><p>“Already ate,” He replied, honest, chin propped in his hand as he poked an empty stick at the crackling fire. “You sleep for long.”</p><p>“How much do you sleep?” </p><p>Eren canted his head in thought. “Four hours, maybe five. Need no more.”</p><p>The two seemed amazed (and a little jealous).</p><p>The work day went quick, his time so preoccupied by his tasks that before he knew it, the three of them were back in the wagon. It was the first day he felt tired, not quite exhausted, but he knew he would be sore in the coming morning. Mikasa and Armin, too, had fared better through the day, bolstered by their proper sleep and the meat he had caught for them. It made him happy when they returned home and they didn’t go straight to sleep, instead talking for a couple hours. </p><p>A month or so would pass with little change beyond Mikasa and Armin growing more fit and losing the gaunt shadows in their cheeks. They weren’t plump by any means, but they weren’t as weak as they used to be. </p><p>Most of Eren’s pay was saved away, Armin and Mikasa used theirs for <em> bread </em> and other things, like clothes. Mikasa had done away with skirts, preferring trousers, which for practicality, made sense. Eren leaned back, dismissing his musing and staring up at the sky. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Armin had been taking count of their savings when he stopped, glancing over to his companions. Eren was laying on the ground, staring up at the sky, one thumb tracing over the feathers on the necklace he wore beneath his shirt. He always meant to ask about it but, Eren tended to look at them with a far away look in his eyes.</p><p>Mikasa was playing with the ends of her scarf, eyes crinkling every few moments in thought, before she got up and set about organizing their scattered belongings. Armin looked back at the money in the small bag in front of him, thoughts of the future flickering through his mind like a wafting flame. Like something he wasn’t sure he should touch.</p><p>“Do… do you know what you want to do in the future?” Armin asked, staring at the hands in his lap as he heard Eren’s questioning hum. </p><p>“Not sure,” He said at last. “Not exactly, I mean. I know I want to keep you safe, and kill Titans, that too.”</p><p>Armin wasn’t surprised by Eren’s sentiments, it wasn’t like he hid his desire to end all Titans in existence. When he disliked something, he hated it with his whole being. Bread being one of those things. Any attempt to make him eat it was usually met with him slouching down, arching his back, and hissing like an alley cat. Though he was sure dislike was the wrong word for Eren’s attitude towards Titans, it was much closer to hate and utter contempt. His eyes would go sharp and violent and angry, all coiled desire to tear into something. It made a shiver run down his spine, it was almost like being glared down by a snarling wolf with no means of escape. </p><p>Armin wondered what it would look like if Eren’s wings weren’t bound. He wondered how many mannerisms they missed because they couldn’t flex beyond their straps. He could imagine them flaring out like those of a striking eagle when Eren got particularly angry. Or maybe, like the chickens, they fluffed up like cotton balls when he got startled or bothered. </p><p>“You’d fly outside the Walls just to kill Titans at random?” Armin asked, Eren gave half a shrug.</p><p>“What else could I do?” He replied. A rogue thought strayed to the front of his mind and his mouth was moving before he could stop it.</p><p>“Join the military?” Mikasa lurched out of her calm routine, black hair flying as she whirled around. Eren sat up at that, an odd spark in his eye.</p><p>“No,” Mikasa cut in. “No way.”</p><p>“Military?” Eren’s head was tilted in the way it did when something new caught his interest. “What is military?”</p><p>Mikasa’s expression was thunderous, like a swirling storm cloud ready to lash out. </p><p>“Mikasa--”</p><p>“Armin,” She retorted, crossing her arms. Much like Eren disliking things, when Mikasa disagreed, she disagreed with her whole being. </p><p>“He asked, he deserves to know!” Armin rebuked, scowling. Mikasa looked upset but held her tongue. He turned back to Eren who leaned forward, eager to know. “The military is split into the three branches, the Garrison, they defend the Walls. Then there’s the Military Police, they protect the inner Wall and royalty, and then the Survey Corps, they go outside the Walls--” </p><p>“The Scouts!” Eren exclaimed as if remembering. “Join them?”</p><p>“If you want to die!” She scoffed, voice unusually sharp. Eren looked perplexed, brows furrowing. </p><p>“Scouts go Beyond,” He replied, just as sharp. “They leave the cage. They are brave!”</p><p>“They might be brave but that doesn’t stop them from ending up dead!”</p><p>“So?! It's risky, yes, but it's worth it! Kill Titans!”</p><p>“They don’t go out <em> just </em> to kill Titans, Eren! That’s not the point of them!”</p><p>“Then what is?”</p><p>Mikasa seethed, refusing to respond, motions jerky and agitated as she shoved something into a bag. Armin took a shaky breath, fists pressed against his legs. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought this up. Mikasa might be acting—mean, but she only ever got like this when she was scared. </p><p>“The mission of the Survey Corps is not to kill Titans,” Armin explained. “It's to try to find ways to reclaim the land outside of the safe Walls. That’s why they haven’t gone beyond Wall Maria for a year now. They can’t make it any further because of the breach.” </p><p>Eren seemed to realize something but kept it to himself, sitting up, a determined set to his jaw that made Armin’s heart sink.</p><p>“I want to join the Survey Corps.”</p><p>A heavy silence reigned and Mikasa’s voice was quiet but heavy. “Even if it means you die?”</p><p>He looked over at her, hot anger meeting her frosty eyes. “Yes.”</p><p>He stood up, hands clenched at his sides.</p><p>“Titans, they-- they’ve taken so much,” Eren said, voice steady but shoulders hiked up with restrained fury. Armin felt his lungs stutter as he stared at the firestorm of passion that curled around each of Eren’s limbs, making his voice rushed and his words a vicious promise. “They took your <em> freedom</em>, took our <em> families,</em> it's time we start taking from <em> them</em>. It's time Humans <em> win</em>. Time they leave these Walls for good. I refuse to let them take you, too, if that means I have to go out there and slaughter them...”</p><p>“...Eren…” Mikasa murmured, a tear curling down her cheek. She knew it was hopeless to try and dissuade him. She looked to Armin before shutting her eyes and stepping forward, up to Eren, who watches her with new concern. “I won’t let you do it alone.”</p><p>Armin rushed to his feet, hurrying over to join the small circle. “And I won’t let you two go by yourselves either.”</p><p>“Sunheart-- Mooneye--” Eren started but his voice was weaker now, with fear and worry, speaking those strange names the two had come to realize were theirs. Sunheart, for Armin; Mooneye, for Mikasa. The two never had the heart to ask their meanings, if there were any deeper ones to them. Eren said them like they were the most precious gold.</p><p>“Together, Eren, or not at all.”</p><p>And that’s the ultimatum.</p><p>“We can’t join till I’m twelve, that’s in November. We have until then to decide, okay?”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Eren hid their most valued things in Shiganshina, he tells them the truth, that he will hide them with his mother’s savings under the floorboard. Then, they march straight up to the recruiter.</p><p>
  <em> Mikasa Ackerman, 10th of February, Year 835; age twelve - physically fit, capable, cleared for Cadet Corps. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Armin Arlert, 3rd of November, Year 835; age twelve - physically fit, capable, cleared for Cadet Corps. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Eren Jaeger, 30th of March, Year 832; age fifteen - physically fit, capable, cleared for Cadet Corps. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>They loaded up in the wagon alongside a few other children from the camp, but they all looked terrified. They're only going to the Cadet Corps for a chance at a better life, but the idea of facing Titans, even the possibility of such, must be hard to stomach. Even worse, as Armin and Mikasa explained, it's even possible for people to be forced into the Survey Corps based on how many the Garrison are able to take in.</p><p>Mikasa and Armin have had months to come to terms with facing their demons, and they're as ready as they'll ever be for it. Eren, of course, was always ready.</p><p>When they arrived at the boot camp, they joined the growing crowd of children set to become the new generation of soldiers. Eren was surprised (and admittedly relieved) when he saw recruits just a year younger than him, and one or two that were older. Though, despite being twelve, Armin and Mikasa looked a little older, due to their trauma and hard labor.</p><p>Wouldn't change that Eren hovered by them and gave people the stink-eye or bared his teeth if they so much as looked funny in their direction. When a horn blared and they were ordered to line up, the three did their best to stick side by side. They were instructed by a man on how to do the salute and its basic meaning.</p><p>“It’ll be elaborated more later but for now, this’ll do,” The man spoke with a nasally voice before hurrying off to the side.</p><p>The reality sunk home, bringing back glances of giant teeth and reaching fingers, staunching their future goal in an undeniable grim light. In their minds, Eren stepped forward to meet it with bloodied fists, Armin shuddered, brows creasing in worry, and Mikasa stayed steadfast, sticking to Eren’s side out of pure loyalty.</p><p> </p><p>Commander Shadis was a <em> loud </em> man. He made Eren's ears hurt but he walked past Eren, instead to get in Armin's face. His right fist clenched a little tighter but a side glance to Mikasa calmed his nerves, her cool gaze the only thing that stopped him from warning Shadis off for invading meek Armin’s space like that. They had warned him it might be like this. </p><p>"Where are you from, Arlert?!" Shadis inquired, an odd look on his face. Armin straightened up.</p><p>"Shiganshina, sir!" Shadis nodded to himself, something a little respecting in his face before he was moving on and pausing as he met Eren's eyes. A myriad of emotions flashed through the man's face; surprise, denial, regret. </p><p>"Jaeger, I presume?"</p><p>"Yes, sir! Eren Jaeger, sir."</p><p>The man’s face went dark for a moment, then, again, Shadis nodded and then turned and began screaming in another kid's face. Eren let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding; he didn't fear Shadis so much as he feared about jeopardizing his chances. He couldn't risk it.</p><p> </p><p>"It was kind of weird that he pretty much left us and a few of the others alone," Armin commented, dipping his spoon in his soup. He looked put-upon when Eren slid his small loaf of bread to Mikasa. “Him pointing out Eren was also really odd.”</p><p>Mikasa hummed in agreement, taking the bread and breaking it in half before giving one half to Armin and keeping one half to herself. It was a common routine, they were already used to Eren being picky about his bread and rations. "Maybe because we're from Shiganshina? He shut down on his shouting at us after he heard we were from there, and Eren <em> does </em>have an unique last name."</p><p>Armin seemed to consider it as he nibbled on the bread. Eren finished his soup, setting aside his bowl. He huffed, "Hard to hunt if we share house with so many."</p><p>"They'll feed us well enough, Eren," Armin protested. "You don't have to hunt anymore."</p><p>Eren harrumphed, crossing his arms. "Well, I want to."</p><p>"We know you do," Mikasa said, grabbing his hand to hold his attention. "But we don't need it right now, okay?"</p><p>Eren still seemed to disagree but sighed and gave in, letting out a little rumbling noise. It was a telltale sign he was displeased. After getting in a brief shouting match with Jean, a coward boy who sought to hide away in the innermost Wall, the three sat under the stars until it was time for bed. Mikasa went off to join the girls in the other building. Armin and Eren claimed beds side by side to each other. </p><p>Eren and Armin worried a bit for Mikasa, as the three hadn’t slept apart for months. </p><p>The exhausted look on Mikasa’s face the next morning told them all they needed to know.</p><p>Physical training for Eren was challenging but doable and he adapted quick enough to stay on top of the rankings despite his failing academics. Try as Armin might, numbers were difficult for Eren to keep a grasp on. </p><p>Mikasa, after a couple days or so, started sneaking into the male barracks to sleep, and she always got away unseen. Though there were plenty of close calls, any suspicion was shifted away due to Mikasa’s excellent performance.</p><p>It's only when it's announced they're ready to begin "3DMG" training that he realized how long his hair was. It had begun to tickle his shoulders and he worried it would get caught in things if he let it be. Only, to his surprise, when he cut it shorter, Mikasa had followed suit, trimming her long hair into a shoulder-length bob. It had been <em> different</em>, but Eren didn't mind it, in his opinion, it even suited her a little better.</p><p>His hair was still a bit on the longer side than it was shorter, but it was workable, and when it grew out again, he was sure he could fit most of it in a bun.</p><p> </p><p>"Eren!" Armin shouted in panic, watching as he only <em> just </em> avoided slamming his head into the ground. Eren let out an avian hiss of irritation; <em> why is this so hard?! I didn't struggle this bad before! </em></p><p>He picked himself back up again, holding his balance with bared teeth. It only lasted a few moments before, this time, he was flipping backwards. He managed to catch himself with a hand but kicked a leg out in frustration.</p><p>
  <em> This is ridiculous! </em>
</p><p>Almost everyone had it by the end of the first day, except Eren, <em> who had previous experience with the gear! </em></p><p>His meal at dinner was eaten with harsher stabs than necessary and he made little conversation, intense frustration and fear twirling under his skin. He had to get this right. Shadis had stated in no uncertain terms that those who were incapable of using the gear, would be sent back to whence they came.</p><p>He shook his head, clenching his eyes shut. He wouldn't let it happen. He couldn’t abandon his Sunheart and Mooneye. He couldn’t break his promises. Before dawn, Eren got up, waking Mikasa and sneaking out to the rigs. He tried again and again and again, Mikasa offering encouragement at every turn despite the stone of fear that began to settle in his stomach.</p><p>He was in the middle of fighting to his balance when he heard a loud crack, Mikasa’s shout, and then the impact of himself hitting the ground. He blinked, dazed, his tailbone aching something fierce. </p><p>"<em>Ow</em>," He croaked, looking up in confusion and then just staring at the belt. Mikasa made it to his side and began to fret.</p><p>“Eren, are you okay?” She asked, helping him to his feet. He grimaced as pain ran up his back. </p><p>“I’m fine, what happened?” She walked up to the harness, grabbing the belt and looking at it with surprise.</p><p>“The buckle broke?” She showed him how it didn’t seat right and any great force put on it made it unlatch. “We need to tell Shadis, you were failing because the belt was busted!”</p><p>When the man roused the cadets at dawn and herded them to the harnesses again, he raised a thin brow in suspicion. “What is it, cadets?”</p><p>“The buckle is broken, sir,” Mikasa stated, offering the piece. “When Eren tried to put weight on it, it fell apart and dropped him, sir.”</p><p>Shadis seemed surprised, taking and testing it for himself. "So it would seem, Jaeger, try one of the others."</p><p>"Yes, sir!" Eren did as directed, strapping himself into one of the others. He gave a nod to Mikasa who raised him up. Eren was both relieved and a little perturbed by how easy it was to catch his balance, swinging a little back and forth. It felt just as he remembered, being suspended on two lines. </p><p>He couldn't help the elated, breathless laugh that left him; even better, were the cheers from the bystanders. It took every bit of effort to not trill in his happiness. </p><p>"Congrats, Jaeger," Shadis huffed. "You've passed."</p><p>Eren grinned, throwing his arms up as another round of hollers sounded. Three years couldn't pass faster.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>He yawned as he sat on the porch of his barracks, stretching his arms up to the sky with a pleased sigh. The sun still wasn't quite up yet but Eren was an early riser through and through. Though he had gotten better about sleeping through most of the night, other than the occasional hunt, he still would get restless by the time the sun was set to rise.</p><p>Eren slouched down, leaning his elbows on his knees when his back spasmed and he jerked backwards with a pained hiss. He squeezed his legs as he rode out the cramp, the bases of his wings radiating pain before fading into an unsettling buzz. </p><p>He tried twisting his shoulders this way and that way but the pain only subsided, not settling completely. It was becoming an issue, over the last three months or so, he started getting serious back and wing pain. Enough that it affected his training a few days - he'd been fine as long as Mikasa nor Armin noticed.</p><p>Until they started catching on. Mikasa has yanked up his blanket in the middle of the night, when he'd been curling himself into a ball, teeth clenched behind his knuckle to avoid making noise. It was hard to lie to those sharp grey eyes when she dragged him outside.</p><p>He sighed, standing up and creeping back into the barracks, going to Armin's side and shaking his arm. Thank the Walls, he was a light sleeper and blinked awake, a brow raised in sleepy question.</p><p>"E-Eren?" </p><p>He shushed him, motioning to the door. Armin got up, walking over and out the door, arms coming up to wrap around himself at the chill in the air.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Armin asked, rubbing the leftover sleep from his eyes. </p><p>"Sorry, I know it's early, but I need a little help." Eren gestured to his back and the other boy's eyes lit up in understanding. Armin had always been very fascinated by Eren's wings and way of life, asking many assorted questions over the years. He didn't mind answering, after all, Armin was a close friend, nigh brother at this point. </p><p>They moved off to the trees clustered to the right of the building, the bushes and branches made the spot pretty private. He was surprised no one visited it more but then again, training did take most of their energy.</p><p>Once they were hidden inside the clearing, Eren pulled off his shirt and Armin undid the back release; they'd realized the front one was one-time use for only the most dire circumstance. It made sense, if he was wearing the harness, it probably meant he was in the Walls, hitting a quick release clasp meant his secret would be revealed to the world and he would not be able to return to the Walls ever again.</p><p>Eren braced himself as it fell away, stretching his wings at a slow pace, grunting at the brief shrill pain before relief flooded through the limbs. He gave a few flaps, reveling in the pull and push of the muscles. Despite his hunting trips, Eren would be lying if he said they hadn't gotten weaker.</p><p>"The straps and mesh are starting to leave creases," Armin murmured. "I'm still trying to figure out a better design, then I’ll just need the materials for it."</p><p>"It's okay," Eren gave a reassuring smile. "It's just the feathers, when they molt, the creases will be gone."</p><p>The doubt on Armin's face told him his feeble attempt did little to soothe him. The hard truth of it was that his wings had outgrown the harness. It—hurt, in an odd, odd way. One of the last things he had from his mother and he had outgrown it. It was inevitable, of course it was, but she wasn't there to make him a bigger one. </p><p>“Then the fresh grown feathers will be creased, and it’ll be worse,” Armin replied, frowning. “Eren, this could mess up your ability to fly.”</p><p>Eren glanced away, focusing instead on the breeze that washed over them and made his wings rise to meet it. His eyes slipped closed, chin tilting up as feathered appendages stretched out to their fullest, letting the wind comb through the feathers like many tiny fingers. </p><p>“I can’t wait for us to get out of here, I want to see you fly again.” </p><p>“Me too, Armin, me too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Eren? Hell<em>o</em>, you in there?” </p><p>He glanced up, looking around in brief panic, only to see Connie, leant over and waving a hand in front of his face. “What?”</p><p>“You were like super spaced out dude, Sasha brought meat!” Eren perked up.</p><p>“Meat? From where?” He had a moment to look aghast before blurting, “Did she steal it?!”</p><p>“Eren! Do you want some of it, too?” Sasha waved the bundle around in pure view.</p><p>“Don’t just wave it around! Someone will see!”</p><p>“Sasha, you’re gonna blow it!”</p><p>Eren smiled, warmth settling deep in his chest. The news that so many of them would be joining the Survey Corps made him both happy and worried. Death was possible. He had seen it himself, just watching the Scouts fly through his forest. Even if Eren was vigilant, they could be scooped up and thrown and killed before he could twitch. </p><p>He turned his gaze to the town far below, Trost and her citizens, going about their day. Three years of waiting was over, what could possibly ruin it?</p><p>His feathers rose as static built in the air--</p><p>Thunder roiled and lightning struck. </p><p>His head turned, one haunted blue-green eye meeting the brown ones staring down at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Shadis' sabotage failed not because of Eren's sheer determination but because his extra wing weight deadass just busted the whole thing. I sort of shifted gears half way through just to get us to the extra good stuff, next chapter is about half done so it should be out in a timely manner! Hope you enjoyed today's addition</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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